Smurfs Lady Light Legend
by cloudsword
Summary: While out at sea, the Smurfs find a smurf sized human. Smurfette helps to bring him back to health only to get thrown into an adventure of revenge and heartache. Read and review.
1. Epilog

**Smurfs: Lady Light Legend**

**Epilog:**

The mountain is a great place to hide when you're a human, except from the sun. The blistering heat brings steam even out of the dry rocks to meet with the clouds. A lonely figure traversed up the steep paths of one particular mountain, Legends Peak. The sharp point and the sheer steep cliffs that belonged to the mountain side warned all but this one traveler. His blue hooded cloak fluttered in wind strong enough to take the feet out from even the heaviest of men, and yet he continued. His breath heavy and feet sore, he gripped the wall as if it were the only thing keeping him planted to the earth as he reached out again to inch his way forward.

As he neared the corner of a rock ledge, the wind suddenly stopped, as if giving up and saying 'you passed my test'. The traveler turned the corner to find a magnificent stone temple, carved out of the wall of the mountain itself. The temple stood almost sixteen oak trees high and came to a point near the top, a place that looked strangely like a bell tower. Above the entrance was carved a symbol of the sun surrounding what looked to be a woman figure. "I found it." the traveler said. His voice was slightly deep yet gentle, telling anyone who could hear that he would be no threat to them. However, no one was there to listen. The man continued forward and pushed the two enormous doors open, giving it all his remaining strength. When the doors were far enough apart that he could walk through, he collapsed to his knees breathing heavily and exhausted from his journey. He lifted his head when he thought he saw something. On the far side of the room, the wall appeared to have a message written on it, in letters of light, 'Accept my challenge and take the swords' it read. Breathing heavily the man spoke again, "You're sure that the swords in this temple will give me my revenge. The beast that destroyed my village must pay." The message disappeared and was replaced by another message in the same writing, 'Your revenge will be by your own hands, these swords will be the indestructible tools you need to achieve it'.

The man rose to his feet and glanced at his surroundings. The room was large, larger than any room he'd ever seen. He could only guess at the size of the place. To each side were seven doors each, leading to various parts of the temple. In front of him stood a massive stair case, one he had trouble seeing the top to. He guessed that the weapons he was looking for were there. Tired and week, he traveled to the top of the stair case, slowly. Step by step he crawled, slowly making his way to the top of the stares. He dared not count them, for fear of losing his own spirit in the sheer number of them. When he reached the top, he found a curved pedestal made of pure stone with two curved swords sticking out of each side, a katana on the right, and its partner blade on the left, buried to the hilt. Standing to his feet, he took a glance behind the pedestal, and beheld a large, but beautiful, painted mural depicting a samurai wearing golden armor and riding on a horse, charging through a battle field and cutting down any and all enemies in his way using what looked like swords made from light. The mural had to be the size of an oak tree, or bigger, he didn't know. Lowering his head, he looked at the two handles poking out of the stones curved surface, and grabbed them both. Suddenly the wall shined with a message again saying, 'Accept my challenge'.

"Whatever you got for me, I can handle. I accept." the traveler said. As soon as he said these words, he could feel the two blades begin to release themselves from their grip of stone. The message rewrote itself to display, 'After drawing the swords, you are never again to bath yourself in light. Now shrink, shrink to the size of a forest creature and remain in the shadows forever'. After reading the message, the traveler looked on in shock, turning his head, he could see the sun beginning to make its way to peek through the windows of the temple, and the sunlight was nearly touching the top stair. In his panic, his dug inside himself for the strength to free the two swords and pulled with all his might. With every second that slipped away, he felt his body begin to shrink. Pulling with every ounce of his strength he felt the swords finally slip free of their prison, and he ran, vaulting over the pedestal in order to flee the light. Swords in hand, he felt his body get smaller and smaller, the two swords shrinking with him. Finally he found himself small, so very small, and running out of shadows quickly. Looking around, the man spotted what looked to be a mouse hole and darted in, turning the corner to keep the sunlight off of him. His breath became ragged and his knees buckled from under him, collapsing the poor tired man to the floor. Shifting himself so the sun would not find him, he fell asleep from his exhaustion.

When he awoke, he found the sun was falling behind the horizon, night was falling and he had to get out of there and down the mountain quickly. As soon as the sun had set completely, he began his journey to descend the mountain; keeping in mind he could not bathe himself in the light. When he reached the top of the stairs he realized, everything was bigger when you're the size of a **Smurf**.

**End of the epilog.**


	2. Not So Smurf

**Not So Smurf –**

"La La Lala La La La Lala La La." sang several happy voices. The Smurfs, a race of small blue human like creatures that almost always wore white pants and hats, had set sail that morning and Papa Smurf, a smurf with a short white beard and red instead of white, was especially happy to get away. The salty sea air did wonders for clearing his lungs and mind. "Papa Smurf," he heard a female Smurf from behind him. Turning around he noticed Smurfette, one of the only female Smurfs with long golden blond hair and a frilly dress, a little singed and none too happy, "Jokey is at it again, just look at what he did to my new dress." Papa Smurf never really understood how girls could get so upset at a simple dress, but he also knew better than to inquire her wrath, "Don't you worry Smurfette, I'll have a smurf with him right now and put a stop to his shenanigans." he said while walking toward the ships cabin. "And while you're at it, smurf him one in the nose for me." she said to his retreating form. Smurfette turned to dust off her dress to no avail, the stains stayed put. Sighing to herself the young girl Smurf walked towards the railing of the ship, and began to daydream of faraway places. She barely noticed when a thick fog rolled in.

"Oh my smurf what's going on?" she asked. Their small ship sailed through the fog, splitting it like scissors cutting through a piece of paper. "I can't smurf a thing." she heard a gruff voice behind her, even though she couldn't see the Smurf, she knew who it was. "Hefty Smurf, come this way." she called to him. "Smurfette? Is that you? Keep smurfing so I can find you." he called out. "This way, follow my voice." she yelled. Seconds later a Smurf with a red heart tattoo on his left arm near his shoulder appeared out of the thick white mist. "There you are. What are you doing out here?" he asked in concern. "Jokey smurfed me with a trick, so I came out here to smurf. Then this fog came out of nowhere, and now I can't see anything but the…" as she talked she gazed at the water with the intent of making sure the fog hadn't thickened, instead she noticed a large piece of wood float by, barely hitting the ship. "Oh dear." she said in alarm. Hefty sniffed the air curiously, "I smell smoke." he said looking towards where he thought the smell was coming from. No sooner than he said that, a large human sized ship could be seen half sunk and up in a giant inferno. "Holy Smurf." said the captain of the ship, a Smurf with a captains hat and gold ribbon attached to the left side.

The Smurfs' ship floated closer to the wreckage dodging all sorts of debris. By now every Smurf aboard had come out to see what the big commotion was. Questions of, what happened and how were passed around the ship, even guesses of pirates were heard in the whispers of the Smurfs. "Papa Smurf what should we do?" the captain asked. "Well Dreamy, we should head home. This voyage has become too dangerous for us Smurfs." the bearded Smurf responded. Smurfette felt sadness envelop her, she so wanted to find new lands and go on adventures of the like. She put her elbows on the railing and placed her cheeks in her hands as she watched the smurf ship turn to leave. As she gazed at the burning ship something caught her eye, something strange and out of place. On a single plank of wood, out in between some burning ship walls, a loan Smurf sized figure floated either dead or unconscious. She wasn't going to risk the figure being alive, "SMURF OVERBOARD!" she shouted as she pointed it out. Every Smurf aboard followed her finger and saw the same thing. "I'll go get him." Hefty shouted. "No Hefty. It's too dangerous." Papa Smurf shouted as Hefty leapt over the railing and into the water. "Find a sheet and some rope. Hurry, we need to smurf a lift. Quickly my little Smurfs." Papa shouted to the others. Every one scrambled to find what the red clad Smurf had ordered.

Hefty found the swim very tiring thanks to the heat from the burning ship sweat poured off of his brow as he swam towards the figure. Reaching the plank he gazed upon the face of his rescue, only to find it buried in the persons cloak. Wasting little time, Hefty grabbed the back of the plank and kicked, using himself to propel the wood forward. About half way back, the strong Smurf found his strength waning from overuse, his muscles screaming for a break, and he silently prayed for help from some supernatural being. Suddenly a beam from above broke loose and slammed into the water behind him. The resulting wave placed Hefty onto the wooden plank and the figure almost off. Hefty quickly reached out and grabbed a hold of his arm, pulling the figure back to safety, and the waves carried the plank forward, towards the S.S. Smurf II. The other Smurfs threw him a rope to help out him close to the ship, and down came the sheet tied to two ropes on each end. Hefty lifted the figure up and finally got a good look at his face. "Smurf mackerel." he said before heaving the person into the sheet. Grabbing a hold of the rope used to bring him closer, Hefty held on as the Smurfs hauled him in. As soon as he was safe, he fell unceremoniously to the deck of the ship, breathing heavily. "Hefty Smurf that was the most reckless thing you have ever smurfed. What were you thinking?" Papa Smurf said in a rage. Hefty looked up at Papa Smurf, the leader of their village and said, "If I didn't at lease try to save him, it would have been like I killed him myself." Papa Smurf's anger faded quickly at how courageous Hefty had been, and smiled proudly. "Never the less Hefty, you scared the smurf out of me. So I'm smurfing you to kitchen duty when we get home."

"Oh no, not kitchen duty." Hefty complained. "Papa Smurf, Papa Smurf." one of the Smurfs called out. The Smurf that appeared at Papa's side wore thick circle rimmed glasses. "What is it Brainy?" Papa Smurf asked. "The thing we rescued isn't a Smurf, it looks human, but it is smurf sized, come I'll show you." Brainy said as he ran towards their rescue. Papa Smurf followed Brainy to see what he was talking about. Upon inspection, he saw a human, wrapped in a blue cloak, with his hood down. The armor he wore was of a strange origin to him and looked like it had been made from the scales of a lizard or dragon. His face was bruised and cut, probably from the ships wreckage, but still showed his handsome features. The strange thing was; he was no bigger than a Smurf. "Papa Smurf, he's hurt badly, we need to help him." Smurfette said. Papa looked at the side of the human; the blood he saw was a sure sign of a wound, probably under the armor. "You're right about that Smurfette." he said and turned to two other Smurfs, "Take him down to the barracks and set him on one of the beds." turning back to Smurfette he spoke again as they took the human down into the darkness of the ship, "Smurfette, you know lots about medicine and healing, please do your smurfiest." Papa ordered. "I will Papa Smurf." she responded, and followed the poor human down below deck.

Every Smurf was glad when they exited the fog, the sun had started to set by that time and Smurfette emerged from below deck. "How is he Smurfette?" Dreamy asked as soon as he saw her. "He's ok now, but I kind of feel sorry for him." she said in response. "How is that?" Dreamy asked curiously. "The cut was deep. I wonder what on smurf could have done it?" she asked. Dreamy shook his head, "No clue, but it will be dark when we get home, so get smurfy do what you can." he said with encouragement in his voice. "I will Dreamy." she said before turning around and walking to the ships rails. Thinking mostly to herself she said, "I don't know why, but I don't feel to smurfy about this, maybe it's just my smurf."

**End of the chapter.**


	3. Field of Smurfs

**Field of Smurfs – **

When the young man awoke he found himself in a strange place. Everything looked to be carved from some sort of wood, and every shelf held some sort of strange container. He tried not to groan as he woke up, but as usual the inevitable happens. He tried to sit up and get a better look at his surroundings, "Ulg." he said in pain. Gripping his side, he slowly laid back down. "You shouldn't move." a sweet female voice called out. When he looked to see who it was, he expected a human girl to be sitting there, instead he found a blond haired, blue skinned girl wearing a white frilly dress and white pump shoes and a white hat. "Oh, I must have hit my head harder than I thought." he said. "No actually, I'm real, I'm a Smurf."She responded kindly. Pain ran rampant through his body, and his strength hadn't returned yet. His brain wouldn't let him panic any way. "A Smurf?" he asked. "Uh huh. My name is Smurfette. You're safe here." she said comfortingly. He just knew he needed to tell her, if her voice was any indication, then he could trust her. "The light. Don't let me be bathed in the light." he warned. "Why not? Are you allergic?" she asked in concern. "My challenge…for my soul." he said right before he passed out from the pain. "Oh dear," she said as she got up to close her curtains. "This is not smurfy at all, I must tell Papa Smurf. You stay right here, I'll be back." she said to the unconscious man.

Papa Smurf was looking through his book of spells, trying to find something close to a shrinking spell for humans. "Let's see; shrinking fruit, shrinking hats, shrinking harvests…" he read out loud. "PAPA SMURF, PAPA SMURF." he heard from outside. "Oh now what?" he asked in frustration. Opening his door he found Smurfette standing there, "Smurfette, can't you see I'm busy trying to help that human?" he asked in irritation. "But it's about the human Papa Smurf." she informed the red clad Smurf. "It is? Is he awake?" he asked in surprise. Smurfette shook her head and said, "Not anymore, but he told me he couldn't smurf in the light before he fell asleep again."

"And why not?" Papa Smurf asked. "He said, 'my challenge… for my soul' and smurfed unconscious." she told him. "Great Smurfs, this is terrible." he said, "Did you smurf your curtains Smurfette?" he asked shocked. "Yes Papa Smurf." she reassured him. "Good, this smurfs everything." he said placing his hand on his beard. Smurfette listened carefully as Papa Smurf walked back to his deck, "Only Lady Light can break his curse now. She is what you could smurf the keeper of light. No one knows who she really is." he told her.

"What does she do, Papa Smurf?" Smurfette asked. "She imbues the sun rises with its light, and her power smurfs off of the moon at night." he informed the young girl. Smurfette was baffled, she couldn't even imagine the power it took to do such a thing. "Take good care of him Smurfette, something tells me that he is smurfier than we know." Papa told her. "Y…Yes Papa Smurf." she said before turning around and heading back to her house. She still couldn't believe it, this Smurf sized human was found by them, so he could survive. She didn't know if it was luck or destiny that brought them to him. As she neared her house, she saw Brainy Smurf looking around the windows. "What are you looking for Brainy?" she asked, scaring him out of his blue skin. "Smurfette you smurfed me, your curtains were smurfed so I thought something was wrong." he said, trying to slow his beating heart. "It's all smurfy, he just can't smurf in light and it's morning." she informed the book reading Smurf. "He can't? Why?" he asked. "Something about a curse." she told him. "Did you tell Papa Smurf about it?" he asked as he walked her to the door. "Yes I did, and he said that the only smurf who can help is named Lady Light."

"Lady Light? I've smurfed that name before." he said manly to himself. He was so deep in thought he almost didn't even notice when Smurfette said, "Well I'm going to bed, I didn't smurf any sleep last night. Smurf night Brainy."

"Smurf night Smurfette." he replied still in deep thought, as he walked away. Smurfette felt a little snubbed and ignored because of Brainy's deep thinking, so she huffed and closed the door a little loudly. "Don't blame him." she heard from further inside the room, looking towards the bed she found her charge, the human sitting up slightly. "You shouldn't move or you'll smurf your wound." she said in worry. The man quirked an eyebrow towards the strange girl, "Smurf my wound?" he asked. Smurfette blushed a little at how easy it was to forget that most humans don't know smurf language. "I mean reopen." she walked closer to him and removed the top of the covers to inspect the bandages. As she thought, a little blood showed through, but much less than she expected. "Well at least I don't need to change your bandages yet." she said, and she yawned deeply, "I might not have to smurf you injuries again either." She continued feeling drowsy as the boy looked up to her, sympathy in his eyes, "You look tired, just go to sleep. We both need it." he said. Somehow, she found herself trusting him simply by listening to his voice. Placing her head on the soft mattress and covers, she fell right to sleep. He watched her as she slipped into her dreams, both cautiously and curiously, he'd never seen a Smurf before, and this one intrigued him. Finally he placed his head on the pillow, and fell into his own dream world.

Smurfette woke up to the light pouring through the window greeting her as her conciseness found its way back. Suddenly she shot up in a panic, realizing that the window should have been closed. Looking immediately to the bed, she found it covered in the sun's rays, but no human. "I'm ok if that's what you're worried about." she heard from behind her. There he was sitting in the shade of the house, looking over his armor. The breastplate of the suit was blue with a scaled look to it, while the shoulders looked like five rectangular plates of curved blue metal stacked on top of each other down his arms. Confusion set in on Smurfette, she wondered just how he had moved over to the spot he was in. "Your friend, Clumsy Smurf, came over and helped me move. He's not so clumsy when he's trying to be careful." he informed her, "By the way my name is Samuel, you may call me Sam if you wish."

"Uh…Smurfette." She replied. "I know, you told me that already." he said getting back to his armor. "You remembered that?" she asked in surprise, she had assumed that he would have forgotten in his sleep. "I did, you also talk in your sleep." he informed her. Smurfette blushed furiously, turning her head red instead of blue. A knock at the door broke her embarrassment, "Smurfette, are you awake yet?" she heard a nasally voice call. "Yes Brainy, I am." she called out, sounding annoyed but really being grateful. "Oh good, Papa Smurf wants to smurf with you about your smurfmate." he replied. Blushing even more Smurfette decided that needed a little explaining. "He means roommate." she said. "I think I understand. Have this 'Papa Smurf' come here so he can…uh, smurf with us both." Sam suggested. "Good smurfing, oh I mean thinking." she said still not use to translating Smurf, "Brainy, tell Papa Smurf that the human is awake, and would like to smurf with him, bring Papa Smurf here."

"Alright, but I don't think Papa Smurf is going to like this." Brainy said before departing. Suddenly Sam's stomach growled loudly. Placing his armor down he asked, "You wouldn't have anything to eat would you?"

"Sorry, I can make some Smurfberry soup if you'd like." she said.

Papa Smurf arrived in the middle of her preparations, and the two men began talking while she made her soup. Balancing three bowls on her arms, she entered the room and found them talking still, "You say you were smurfed all of this by the keeper of light?" Papa Smurf asked. "That's right and the keeper guided me to my swords as well." Sam responded taking a bowl from Smurfette he showed her his gratitude, "Thank you Smurfette."

"Yes, thank you Smurfette." Papa Smurf said. Turning to the human he asked, "And what swords are those?" Sam pointed to the swords in the corner of the room near the bed, "My swords of light." he answered. "Great Smurfs, you mean those are the swords made of pure light?" Papa asked in surprise as he gazed at the two blades. Lowering his head to the bowl in his hands, Sam responded, "Actually that's a misnomer, they have metal blades that shine with a pure light making them indestructible and able to burn through anything. Other than that they're just unbreakable swords." and took a sip of his soup. Sam's eyes widened at the moment the soup touched his tongue and pulled the bowl away, looking at the concoction with wide eyes. 'Maybe I put too many Smurfberries into it, or perhaps too much spices…' Smurfette thought. Her worries were broken when Sam said, "This is the best soup I've ever tasted." showing nothing but honesty on his face. He brought the bowl back to his lips and drank the soup more fully. "I still say it would go better with an acorn roast." Papa Smurf said when he saw the 'I told you so' look on Smurfette's face. "Well I'd better get going. If it is Lady Light that put that course on you, then maybe she had a really smurfy reason for it, and until we discover her whereabouts, we won't know for smurf. We'll have your house up by tomorrow, so once you can move by your smurf that is where you will stay, agreed?" Papa Smurf said as he made his way to the door. "My house? You're letting me stay?" Sam asked in shock. "Until we can find Lady Light's location. Until then, you are welcome to stay." Papa responded reassuringly. "Thank you Papa Smurf, and agreed." Sam said as he bowed his head in respect. Papa Smurf smiled at the situation, making new friends was something he liked to see.

**End of the chapter.**


	4. Hide and Smurf

**Hide and Smurf – **

Three weeks into his healing, and finally Sam could walk on his own. He'd gotten to know Smurfette well, she would come to him and vent when she felt frustrated, and in return he would tell her bits and pieces about his past. Things that usually were meant to help calm her down, even though that wasn't always the case. Some times when she didn't feel like going out, he would teach her things from his village, sayings or recipes that he thought she could cook or improvise on. So far he was only right twice, though he never actually thought her cooking was bad, he just thought the original was better. Night had fallen early that day, and it gave him a chance to check out the village he now resided in. The houses were made from some type of material, probably the same material that the people in his village made shingles from. Every house was shaped like a large mushroom, 'Probably for camouflage purposes', he thought. Almost everyone was either in bed or getting ready for it, including Smurfette and what he saw were four little Smurfs.

The first was dressed in a Smurf like way except for the yellow shirt with a cloud and lightning bolt on it. The second had his hat on crooked like it was slouching or something and had a plain red shirt. The third wore a type of brown overalls and a straw farmer's hat in the same shape as a Smurf's hat plus a brim, he also wore no shoes. The fourth was definitely a girl, she wore pink overalls and the Smurf's white hat, and she also had two braided pigtails of red hair. "Aw can't we stay up just a little longer?" the young one with the yellow shirt asked, his raspy voice begging for a specific answer. "Sorry Snappy, but its bed time for you Smurflings." Smurfette said. "Even me?" the little girl asked, her cute little girl's voice melting even his heart from where he stood. Smurfette chuckled before saying, "Yes Sassette, even you."

"Would you like to introduce me?" she heard from behind her. Turning around she found Sam standing there still holding his side. "Oh Sam, It's nice to see you smurfing…I mean walking by yourself. How's your side?" she asked. "It's… Smurfy." he said a little awkward. "That's good," she said understanding what he meant, "I'd like to introduce you to the Smurflings." Pointing to the yellow shirt she said, "This is Snappy Smurfling,"

"How ya doing?" the Smurfling asked. "This is Slouchy Smurfling." she said pointing to the red shirted young one. "Hi there." he said in a kind of happy/board tone. "This is Nat Smurfling." she told him gesturing to the little boy in brown overalls. He simply smiled at Sam, his high pitched nasally voice laughing despite his grinning teeth. "And this is Sassette." she said moving to the girl. "Hi ya." the Smurfling said. Turning to the Smurflings and pointing to him, Smurfette introduced him, "This is Sam, he's a Smurfed human."

"A human, really?" Sassette asked. "Yup." Sam said. "Jeepers, that's smurfy." Sassette said. "Yah, so what do humans do at night?" Snappy asked, hoping desperately for a different answer than Smurfette's. "We sleep." Sam told them with a stoic look. "Aw." the four Smurflings said at the same time. "Then it's settled, all Smurflings to bed." Smurfette said ushering the four little ones to their home.

As soon as their door shut, she turned to Sam, "Thanks for the help. They were smurfed…I mean determined to stay up." she said. "No problem I guess." he said rubbing the back of his neck. "So what brings you way out here?" she asked until she heard Snappy sing from his window, "Smurfette and Samy smurfing in a tree…"

"Oh, smurf it up your nose Snappy, and go to sleep." she retorted, and the boy ducked back into the house. "You have a way with kids." Sam said. Smurfette blushed a little at that. "Would you mind showing me my house? I haven't been there yet and everything looks the same." he asked blushing with embarrassment. Smurfette looked around a little before spotting what she was looking for, "It's over there, the one in front of the tree with the blue roof." she said. Looking to where she pointed he found the house he was assigned to, despite the darkness. "Well, I'd better be going, I've smurfed my flowers today and they'll need lots of water tomorrow." she said as she began the short walk to her own house. Sam walked beside her before holding out his elbow towards her, "May I walk you home? It's the least I can do for your help." he asked. Smurfette blushed a little, this seemed to happen more often than not. Not just when he was around though, it was like she was a whole different Smurf when he was brought up in conversation as well. "Thank you." she said, and slipped her arm into his.

The walk to her house seemed peaceful, even as the night grew darker it only seemed to get better. The feeling of being close to brought peace of mind to Smurfette, so she didn't notice when a giant blue hoof steeped right in front of them. Sam looked up at the owner of the foot, a Minotaur. The bull like legs and head with the torso of a man, it brought a rage to him that no other beast could bring. "YOU!" Sam shouted. "I really admire your ability to stay alive small one." the Minotaur said, his deep hollow voice echoing through the night. "I finally found you." was all Sam said to the creature. Patting his side, he noticed that his swords were gone. The Minotaur laughed at such convenience, "And look, no weapons to defend either himself or his friends with." Sam turned to the giant beast with anger, "Leave the Smurfs alone. They have done nothing to you." he shouted. The Minotaur quickly reached down and snatched Smurfette from the ground, "AHHHH!" she screamed. "SMURFETTE!" Sam called after her, feeling completely helpless. The Minotaur brought her up to his eye level and sneered at her with a vicious glee. It wasn't until he felt a tiny thump on his head did he realize that he was even under attack. Looking to where the small rock came from, he noticed four small Smurfs standing there with defiant glares and throwing just about anything they could get their hands on at him, "You big meany, leave Smurfette alone." Sassette yelled as she threw another stone. Soon more stones came flying at him from the other side. Turning around, the Minotaur saw just about all of the Smurfs standing around him with angry faces. "Yah just put her down." Hefty called out and threw a rock about as big as he was. Every Smurf began throwing rocks at the towering behemoth, trying desperately to get Smurfette to safety. Slowly thanks to the distraction, Sam made his way to Smurfette's house close by. Entering the front door he found his swords sitting there, right next to coat rack near the door.

"You little twerps, I'll make you all pay for interfering." the Minotaur said as he lifted his other hand, the one holding a large black battle ax, and aimed it at the red clad Smurf. "Papa Smurf, look out!" Smurfette shouted, as the Minotaur swung the ax towards Papa Smurf. Papa closed his eyes waiting for the blade to strike. The sound of metal against metal was heard and Papa Smurf opened his eye to find out what had saved him. Sam stood there in front of him, no armor, but his two swords held above his head, blades crossed and shaking, holding the black ax at bay. Sam turned his head and eyes to look at the old Smurf, "You ok Papa Smurf?" pain and struggle both in his voice and on his face. "Just…Smurfy." he whispered. Sam turned to face the Minotaur, "I don't like it when you threaten my friends." he said darkly, his fatigue nearly vanishing from his face. The minotaur's fear grew in his veins, and he pressed harder on the ax, trying with everything he had to crush his opponent. Pushing back, Sam matched the Minotaur's strength easily, "Let Smurfette go." he ordered. Sam pushed so hard against the enemy blade that the Minotaur literally tumbled backwards and landed on his rear.

The Minotaur looked up at his opponent, the pint sized human that just bested him, with hate in his heart. Sam stalked up to the large beast and said, "I won't repeat myself, let her go **before** I sever you hand, or you will find yourself in bite sized pieces for the wolves to snack on." With that, Sam's swords burst into a violent white light surrounding the blades. The Minotaur moved Smurfette in front of him, holding her like he would crush her, only to smile and drop her without a word. Sam gasped and ran towards her as fast as he could, quickly placing his swords in their scabbards and catching the falling girl with ease. Looking back at his enemy, he found the Minotaur gone.

**End of Chapter.**


	5. Smurf and Shield

**Smurf and Shield – **

"Great Smurfs, what was that?" Papa Smurf asked in shock. "That was the Minotaur, a dangerous creature who somehow found the key to wielding a shadow weapon." Sam explained the best he could. Smurfette looked to his face; she could see him hiding the pain, and his struggle to simply lift her up. Everyone gasped, the look on their faces showed nothing but fear, everyone except Smurfette and the Smurflings. "Eh…excuse me, but bid you say 'Shadow' weapon?" Brainy asked. "Yes, but unfortunately that's all I can tell you right now." Sam said setting Smurfette down gently. "And why is that?" the bespectacled Smurf asked with suspicion in his voice. Dropping to one knee, Sam let out a grunt of pain, "Because I just reopened my wound." he said before collapsing to the ground. Looking to Sam's side, Brainy could clearly see the blood beginning to seep through his bandages, "Oh, my apologies." he said as Smurfette gave him a vicious glare, and went to work fixing Sam's cut. As Hefty and Handy both lifted Sam off of the ground, Papa Smurf noticed a small blue gem fall from the human's pocket and rest there unnoticed by the others, on the ground. Curiosity took hold of the old Smurf and he reached down and picked it up.

Spinning it in his hands, he noticed that the actual gem was rough and almost uncut, yet it still retained the shape of a diamond. From the center of the jewel, a light shined, and winked at him as if saying hello, but surrounding that light was a lining of shadows, and a feeling of evil emitting from that shadowy lining. It looked to Papa as if the shadows were trying to subdue the light, and failing. "Hmm, very interesting." he said to himself.

Sam reawakened in a strange hut, yes it looked almost like Smurfette's hut on the inside, but he could tell something was different. The walls, the furnishings, they were all brand new, freshly made and recently arranged. The curtains were all pulled, probably to keep the light from coming in and bathing him. His swords lay there on what looked to be a desk or table, with his armor right beside them. Towards the middle, he found a dining table and two chairs, as well as what looked like another room. When he heard the front door open, he turned to find Smurfette entering, except she was talking to someone else, so he closed his eyes to listen. "Look Brainy he's not a bad person." she said in his defense. "I'm not saying he is, it's just how he smurfed the Minotaur." he heard Brainy say. He guessed that, 'smurfed' meant 'handled' at this point, but he wasn't sure. "I think he was the smurfiest." she said defiantly. "Don't you mean craziest? He threatened something over twenty times his size." Brainy argued. "He protected all of us. That Minotaur almost killed Papa Smurf." she reminded him. "You don't have to remind me of that, but if you stop and smurf…" Brainy tried to counter, but was interrupted when Smurfette turned away from him and said, "No Brainy, I don't want to hear it. Now go away." Brainy stayed quiet for a while, trying to put the puzzle together, "You smurf him don't you?" he said slowly. Smurfette blushed furiously, however to hide it, she put on an angry face and turned to the bookworm without saying a word. "I thought so." he said before exiting the hut. Smurfette stormed her way to the door, looked out and yelled, "SMURF IT IN YOUR FACE BRAINY!" before slamming the door. "You two can wake the dead." Sam said with his eyes still closed. Smurfette spun around to see Sam, he looked out, but his smile told her that he was awake, and probably heard her arguing.

Her blush deepened if that were possible. "I…we didn't mean to wake you Sam." she said nervously pulling her hair behind her ear. "It's ok; I woke up on my own. How bad was it?" he asked referring to his side. Her blush faded slowly, "It's not bad, but from now on be careful, you can't keep smurfing your side like that." she told him. Sam finally decided to open his eyes and look at Smurfette. "What does Papa Smurf say?" he asked. Smurfette was confused about his question, "About what?" she asked. "About what you and Brainy were arguing over." he said, hoping to clarify his question. "I think Brainy is going to find him and smurf with him about it." she said as the only answer she had.

At Papa Smurf's house, he was engrossed in study, the jewel he found on the human was fascinating him, it pulsed with both Light and Shadow magic. Even though the Shadow magic was losing, it never actually faded or escaped, and the Light never seemed to want to destroy the Shadow. A knock at his door broke him out of his concentration and caused him to panic while attempting to hide the shiny object. Placing the jewel on one of his shelves behind his spell ingredients, he called out, "Come in." The door was opened by none other than Brainy Smurf, "Papa Smurf there is something I need to say. I don't think it's a smurfy idea to let Sam stay here in the Village any longer." he said outright. "What do you mean Brainy?" Papa Smurf asked. "Do you remember what he said to the Minotaur before it disappeared?" Brainy asked. Papa smurf placed his hand on his beard, trying to remember the exact wording, "Eh, sort of. What does this have to do with him staying?" Papa asked. "I don't feel safe with him around. If he has the smurf to say that to a giant furry creature, what's stopping him from doing it to us Smurfs?" Brainy made his point. "You may have a point their Brainy, but I believe there is more to him than that." Papa argued the point calmly. "What do you mean?" Brainy asked quizzically. "He said he was smurfed by the 'samurai' of Japan. Now I don't know what a samurai is, or where Japan is, but so far he's thought of us before thinking of himself. Maybe if you smurf with him, you could smurf another book on what you learn from him." Papa Smurf said, and turned back to his old work on finding a solution to Sam's shrinking problem. Brainy thought about what Papa Smurf had said, and decided that even if he didn't feel safe with him around, he still needed to know.

The journey to his house was full of thinking, and thinking, and thinking. The moment he entered he went straight to his books, searching every one of them for what a samurai was, and no matter how hard he looked, he never found what he was looking for. By that time night had fallen again, and the only person who would be out was Sam, if he weren't injured. Brainy made his decision, he just had to know. So the bespectacled Smurf made his way from his own house to Sam's. The solid blue roof was the only one like it; all the others had white spots or stones. Handy had used an experimental roofing style for this house and so far it was working. Brainy knocked on Sam's door silently, hopping he was asleep. "Come in." he heard Sam say. Literally swallowing his pride, Brainy entered the house, lit with just a simple fire in the fire place. Looking around the room, he noticed Sam in his bed, and Smurfette passed out at the foot, sitting in a chair. "What's up Brainy?" he asked. Brainy stilled his nerves, and walked silently to Sam's side, "I just have to know," he whispered, "Other than Human, what are you, where did you come from?"

"That is a long story Brainy Smurf, why are you so interested?" Sam asked the curious Smurf. Brainy knew there was no way out now so he told him, "Papa Smurf said you said you were smurfed by the samurai, what is a 'samurai'?" Sighing to himself, Sam motioned Brainy to take a seat, "You may want to write notes, because you'll be here all night." he said. "If it means I'll get my questions smurfed, then I don't mind." he said, while lifting the second table seat silently and moving it closer to the bed. Once seated, Brainy pulled out a pad of paper from under his hat, along with a pencil. Sam quirked an eyebrow in confusion, "Don't tell anyone about this, it's just for emergencies like this." Brainy explained. "Deal." Sam agreed, "My story starts in a land called England…"

**End of the chapter.**


	6. Smurf Me a Story

**Smurf Me A Story – **

Sam took a deep breath and placed his head comfortably on the pillow facing the ceiling before telling his story, "My parents were merchants. That is a human who sells goods to others by trade. They traveled together all the time, trading and selling goods and supplies to other ships and lands. They ended up in England the day I was born, and I spent a good three years growing up there with my mother as she waited for my father to return. During my third birthday he showed up and the three of us set sail. When I was four, we ended up in Japan, during a fierce war, and some loan samurai captured us and our ship. Samurai are honorable swordsmen who serve to protect the people of their village, whether or not they are accepted. They live to protect others and serve their lords. We were held prisoner for four months and during that time, I became good friends with one of the higher ranked samurai and even learned to speak Japanese fairly well. You see the samurai may not serve their captives but they don't mistreat them either. We were well taken care of. After four months there was a raid on the village, wondering bandits attacked and killed many people. The samurai I befriended came and released us, but as we were escaping, a bandit rode by on horse and killed my father with one swing of his sword. My samurai friend drew his own sword and fought against the bandit, killing him. However another bandit had taken my mother as a trophy while he was preoccupied. Some other samurai came to protect me as their belief was that children are the most precious of people. My friend and I were spared, and the remaining samurai gathered together to form a search party, my friend included. Being the curious kid I was, I followed behind, wanting nothing more than to see my mother. We traveled for three days following the bandits' trail, until we came to an open cave in the side of a mountain. The bandits never saw the samurai coming, and within minutes they were slaughtered. Unfortunately many of the women the bandits took from us were already dead, and to my dismay that included my mother. The samurai watched as I wept for my loss, each of them filling with sorrow, until the leader of the samurai and chief of the village, came to me and pronounced that I was to be accepted as a member of the village. I grew up as the adopted son of the chief and learned the way of the warrior, or Bushido as they called it. During my years of growing up I always felt alone, until one day during my sixth year staying with them.

At the age of ten, I wandered off a lot and always found new places, one place I discovered was a simple stone room carved into a hill side near the village, the far wall was flat and perfect as if it had been sanded until such, and a hole in the hill across from the wall always faced the setting sun. I would practice there in secret and sometimes made camp there, having a small shelter and bringing food with me. One day something strange happened, I was wrapping up from my training and just started to get ready to camp when I saw letters appear on the wall, letters made of light. At first I was scared, and remembering my master's words, 'fear is an opponent that must be faced alone' I ventured into the room to discover what was causing such a phenomenon. The words I read said, 'Do not be afraid little one, I am here to help.' My fear grew slightly, not understanding what was going on, I looked around for anything that would give off a reflection, but found nothing. Turning back to the wall I asked, 'Who are you?' and the writing changed, it said, 'I am the keeper of light."

"Whoa, hold your smurfs. Light can't write words on a wall it's just impossible." Brainy whispered. "That is why things surprise you Brainy; you've closed your mind to everything you haven't known. Things can happen if only you believe." Sam responded. Brainy began thinking about what Sam had just said, until Sam himself interrupted him, "Now can I get back to my story?" Brainy simply blushed in embarrassment, and after clearing his throat, gave Sam a nod.

"Eight years of talking with the keeper of light, going to practice and learning the way of the sword, eight years of growing up. Only one week after my nineteenth birthday and I visited that spot again, practicing until sunset and entering the room. Throughout those eight years the keeper of light and I had become good friends, however it was like a different person wrote on the wall that day. The messages were direct and angry, almost as if the person had a grudge. And as the sun set, I lay down to get some sleep. Only an hour of sleep and I was awakened by a thunderous roar, looking through the hole in the hill, I saw it, the Minotaur, was using his shadow magic to destroy the village, and its people. I was about to gather my swords and equipment, when my friend, the samurai who set us free, came riding up the hill. 'You must flee, everyone is dead and the village is lost.' he said to me. Knowing him well, I knew he would not have fled unless instructed to. 'What's going on?' I asked. His face held a fear I've never seen on a man before, 'Our weapons pass right through his soldiers, and they look just like us.' That was before a samurai in black armor came from behind him and stabbed him in the back with a blade as black as the night sky. The sickening smile on the fiend's face told me a story of evil. I drew my sword, and with a rage in my heart, I battled with the monster of a man for hours, until dawn broke. Looking up, I noticed the Minotaur blocking the light with his arm, and his solders all writhing in pain, including the one I was fighting. Taking the opportunity, I lunged forward and ran my blade through his chest. The blade met with air as the cretin, disappeared completely. I cried out in my agony, again the loss of the people I loved filled my heart, and this time another feeling. For the first time, I wanted revenge. I made my way down to the village, where I proceeded to bury my friends and family. The only house left standing was the house of the chief, the house I lived in. I entered the building, and there ready to use was the chief's armor, the armor I use even today. I wear it to honor him and my village in battle."

Brainy took a break from writing for a second to ask, "So where did you get those swords? And why didn't you smurf the Minotaur instead of just threaten him?" he asked. "Throughout my travels I've had some realizations. I had to make sure everyone would be safe, my revenge is not as important as the lives of the village I protect anymore." Sam said simply, hoping he understood Brainy correctly. "So you secured our safety first?" Brainy asked. "I guess, and as for my swords I found them in a temple the keeper of light told me about while I was burying my village people." Sam explained. "And your curse?" Brainy continued. Sam sighed before explaining, "In order to draw the swords, I needed to make it to the top of Legends Peek and then take a challenge to keep them. My challenge is to never be bathed in light again, and I guess to make it harder the keeper of light made me about this size. I guess I never imagined a challenge like this."

"I don't find it fair, a challenge like that should last no more than a week or two." Brainy complained. Sam simply chuckled and said, "Take it up with the keeper of light." Brainy finished up writing and placed his note pad in his hat, before saying, "I should get moving, before Smurfette wakes up. Thank you again Sam, your story really helped." before exiting the house. Sam tilted his head back to enjoy what little sleep he got, before saying, "I know you're awake Smurfette, and that you've been awake since Brainy got here." Smurfette opened her eyes and shyly looked at him. "How'd you know?" she asked. Sam smiled lightly and said, "Remember, you talk in your sleep." Smurfette blushed before laughing in embarrassment.

**End of the chapter.**


	7. Fountain of Smurfs

**Fountain of Smurf – **

Papa Smurf studied the crystal in his hands thoroughly, trying desperately to understand its power. Turning it in his hands, he saw for the hundredth time the flaws and perfections of the jewel. The light in the center continued to wink and tease him as the shadows still tried desperately to overcome the sparkling power. He had tried almost everything he knew to try and understand its power, everything short of asking Sam. Sighing in defeat, Papa Smurf decided it was for the best, "Perhaps it's time I smurfed my own advice." he said as he rose from his seat and placed the jewel into his pocket. Walking to the door it suddenly burst open revealing the Smurflings, all four piled on the ground all holding sticks like swords. "Papa Smurf, come play with us." Snappy complained. "Yah, we're playing Smurf Samurai." Nat said in his nasally voice. "Smurf Samurai?" Papa asked in confusion. Sassette laughed and said, "It's lots of fun Pappy, you should try it." Papa smurf held up his hands and tried to excuse himself, "Sorry my little Smurflings, I was just on my way to see Sam about something important." he said. Instead of looking upset, the four Smurflings perked up and Snappy said, "Can we come with you? Maybe Sam can teach us some smurfy moves." Papa Smurf, caught off guard, was slightly surprised before saying, "I don't see why not." The four Smurflings cheered loudly and Papa had one thing on his mind, "Oh, what have I done."

On the way to Sam's hut, Papa kept the jewel in his pocket, but also paid close attention to the Smurflings' game, learning the rules as they played. They decided who was supposed to be a bandit and who was supposed to be a captive the others became samurai. Sometimes the bandit would win and other times the samurai. It looked fun to an old Smurf like him. Every time they changed up, they would use the terrain to their advantage and try to sneak up on each other. The bandit had to take out both of the samurai using creative strategies, while the samurai needed to take out the bandit and rescue the captive using team work. Yet all too soon he found himself in front of Sam's assigned hut. Sassette won the last bout as the bandit before they filed close by, waiting for Papa Smurf to knock. Smurfette was the one to open the door and greet them. "Papa Smurf, what brings you out here?" she asked. Before he could utter a word, Snappy spoke up first, "Hi Smurfette." and poked his head into the house, turning to the bed, "Hi Sam."

"Hi kids." the human responded. Without warning, all four of the Smurflings burst past the two Smurfs and ran up to Sam ready to ask questions, and ask they did, the four of them talked all at once and no one knew what they were saying. "Not so fast Smurflings, one Smurf at a time." Smurfette said trying desperately to get them to behave. "I can't understand you four." Sam said trying to help. Papa Smurf had just about enough, placing his first two fingers in his mouth, he let out a shrill whistle. Everyone went silent and turned to him. "I'm sorry Smurflings, but each of you will have to take turns smurfing your questions." Papa informed them. "But who gets to go first Pappy?" Sassette asked. Papa Smurf chuckled before saying, "I believe I was the one who smurfed on the door."

"AW!" the four Smurflings complained. Papa Smurf took this time to walk up to Sam, placing his hand inside his pocket. "Before I ask, I must inform you that I smurfed this while you were taken to your house." he said and pulled out the shining crystal. The Smurflings all went, "OHHH!" Smurfette had a very different approach, "Ooo, so pretty. What is it Papa Smurf?"

"That I don't know Smurfette; it fell from Sam's pocket." Papa Smurf told her. Sam looked surprised to see the roughly cut jewel. "Is that the stone that the keeper of light gave me?" he asked. "So Lady Light gave you this? What does it do?" Papa Smurf asked. "I'm not sure; the Minotaur struck it with his ax before I could figure that out. That is where the shadowed lining came from." Sam informed him. "Did she say anything when she gave this to you?" Papa asked. "Yah, the message on the wall said, 'This will help you protect the people.' then it was like she was cut off." Sam replied. "Strange." Papa Smurf surmised. "Although it does pulse with a bright light when it gets wet." Sam added as an afterthought. "Like if you throw it in the river?" Snappy asked. "Mostly from rain water soaking through my pants." the human responded. "So water is the answer. Brilliant! I'll get a test smurfed right away and see what smurfs. Thank you Sam, you were a big help." Papa Smurf said as he exited the house. Total quiet dominated the air as Papa Smurf stood there waiting at the door, suddenly the shouts of all four Smurflings could be heard, each of them asking a different question all at the same time, and again, even he couldn't tell what they were saying. Papa Smurfed laughed, taking part in such a guilty pleasure.

Out in the woods, Papa Smurf, Brainy Smurf and Handy Smurf, all gathered in a certain spot, with a smurf sized bucket of water between them. "Ready you two?" Papa asked. "Ready." Handy said enthusiastically, holding one of his hammers. "I'm not so sure this is a good idea." Brainy said nervously. "If my theory is correct then it will be the smurfiest idea ever." Papa Smurf said, and dropped the stone in the bucket of water. The stone shined brightly for a second, then stopped. "Nothing happened." Brainy said. "Now Handy, please smurf the bucket with your hammer." Papa told the fix-it Smurf. Handy reared back with his hammer and let loose. Swinging with everything he had in an attempt to smash the bucket and stone in one swing. Instead the hammer struck thin air, hard, and Handy vibrated a little from the impact. Handy stood there, baffled, before pulling back again to take another swing at it; again he hit the air in front of the bucket. He stuck again and again, until he felt tired. "This is unreal." Brainy said in surprise. "It's light barrier Brainy. Now here's where you smurf in, if the barrier is this big with a bucket, how big will it be if we use the river?" Brainy racked his brain for an answer; instead he came up with two questions. Questions that would help him in his calculations, "First I need to smurf the difference between this bucket and a human sized bucket, then I'd like to ask, what happens if the water gets dirty?" he asked. Both Papa Smurf and Handy looked at each other in surprise; he usually boasts about his intelligence by now, instead he asked more questions, and good ones. "I don't know Brainy." Papa Smurf admitted. "Well, only one way to find out." Handy said, and walked up to the bucket. He quickly placed his hands in the dirt, rubbing them to make them good and dirty. Instead of dusting them off, he immediately dunked them into the bucket. And let the dirt sink to the bottom. Everyone could feel the barrier drop almost instantly, but only Handy felt something different. A shock went through his arms and sent waves of pain through his body, waves that only got worse. Pushing his hands further down, he felt for the stone, grabbed it and pulled it out of the water. Panting heavily, Handy opened his hands to see the crystal no longer had a bright center with a shadowy outline, but rather a shadowy center with a shining outline. "Great Smurfs, the clarity of the water also smurfs which power is stronger." Papa said in alarm. "And if the water is dirty, it will try to kill any Smurf who touches it." Handy said between huffs. "That was good smurfing Brainy." Papa said. "Thank you Papa Smurf." Brainy replied smiling proudly. "Now let's get this stone smurfed off and make our way to the castle, there we can find out what smurfs with a human sized bucket." Papa added before Brainy could go into a speech.

Johan smiled as he talked, his youthful face gave a sigh of relief to the smurfs. Peewit on the other hand was overly willing to help. "Here's the water you asked for Papa Smurf." Peewit said as he set the bucket down. "Eh thank you Peewit." he said before he climbed to the top. Looking down he called out to the front of the courtyard, "Ready Handy?" Out at the courtyard entrance, Handy stood there and waved, "Ready!" he shouted back. Turning back towards the castle he called again, "Ready Brainy?" This time Brainy called back with confidence, "Ready Papa Smurf." Papa Smurf gazed into the bucket, to see the clarity of it. Finding it satisfactory, he dropped the jewel into the water. Then he turned in Hefty's direction, "Alright Handy, swing like you mean to destroy it." Handy ran as fast as he could, swinging his smurf sized hammer wildly, only to run into the bucket. Papa Smurf placed his hand to his beard in thought. Johan spoke up, "Perhaps it needs to be a genuine threat to what it's protecting."

"You may be right Johan, would you please give it a try?" Papa Smurf asked. Johan ran to the edge of the courtyard, drew his sword, and charged. He took no more than three steps before he found himself colliding with the air. Brainy did a quick comparison between the amounts of water in the buckets and the size of the barrier. Quickly taking out his secret note pad, Brainy did his calculations to find his answers, and slipped it back under his hat. Brainy ran up to the other Smurfs smiling and shouting, "Papa Smurf, Papa Smurf."

"What did you find Brainy?" Papa asked. Brainy went into a kind of smart mode and explained, "If my calculations are correct, and they usually are, the barrier produced by the river will cover everything getting no less than two oak tree heights away from Gargamel's house."

"This is smurfy news Brainy, and it will only let those that are not a threat to us smurfs in. No more worrying about Gargamel my little Smurfs. Our village is safe." Papa said in excitement.

**End of the chapter.**


	8. How to Smurf a Mockingbird

**How to Smurf a Mockingbird – **

All the Smurfs had gathered around the bridge to gaze in wonder at Handy Smurf's new invention. So far he just attached a lever to the bridge and log to the lever. Near the bottom of the log, a hole was cut, and in the hole, the crystal fit snugly. "I call it the Crystal Smurfer. All you have to do is pull this lever like this," Handy pulled the lever towards his left, and the log lowered, submerging the crystal under water. The shine from the crystal was so bright that it blinded nearly the entire village. When the light died down, everyone was in wonder, "And the crystal goes under the water. To lift it back up, just pull it the other way."

"What's it for Handy?" a very raspy voice asked. "Well Jokey that is a very good question, you see, this crystal creates a light barrier when smurfed underwater. The more clean water there is, the bigger the barrier." Papa Smurf answered. "Barrier? What do we need a barrier for?" Hefty asked. "This specific barrier keeps out any and all genuine threats to our village. We no longer need to worry about Gargamel and his evil." Papa Smurf explained. After hearing this, all the Smurfs in the village cheered. Brainy decided to warn the population of the one problem, "Unfortunately, it is imperative that we keep the water around the crystal clean, if it ever gets dirty we need to smurf the crystal out of the water quickly." A loud yawn could be heard from over the crowd, "Or what will happen Brainy?" asked a very lazy high pitched voice. "It will kill us all, Lazy Smurf." he said plainly. The shock took everyone by surprise, even Lazy found it hard to sleep with the news he just heard. "So all we need to do is keep the water clean right?" Smurfette asked. "That's right Smurfette. Clean water will keep us smurfy." Papa said with a bright smile on his face.

The rest of the time seemed to go by quickly, and before anyone knew it two weeks had slipped by. Sam sighed in his boredom; he'd been in bed this whole time lying in the dark. When Smurfette finally came in, he said without hesitation, "Can you help me stand?" Smurfette shot a look to him that had surprise written all over it. Hesitantly, she asked, "But, what about your side?"

"I'm not going to stress it out Smurfette. I just need to get out of bed, I'm going crazy." he told her. Slowly, she made her way to him, and slower than that, she reached down to help pick him up. Struggling only a little, Sam moved himself, with Smurfette's help, into a sitting position. After a few seconds of rest she helped him to his feet, and he nearly fell to his face. She braced him a while, until he felt sure of himself, nodding to her when he was ready. Sam stood with Smurfette supporting him under his arm. He took his first step in a while, and she helped him move towards the desk/table where his swords lay. Reaching down, he picked up his swords and strapped them to his hip. "Is the tree shade over my house yet?" he asked. "Yes." she said simply. "Good, let's go outside." he suggested. This little spit shocked her, "But what about your curse?" she asked. He turned to her and smiled, "If I'm in the shade, then I'm not bathed in light am I?" he said, "A little trick I learned a while back." His words got Smurfette thinking, and she had to agree with him, they were true. It had been too dark in the house, and she wished she at least knew what he looked like. The two of them traveled the short distance to the door, and it opened by itself, on the other side of it stood Hefty Smurf and Handy Smurf. The two of them seemed surprised to see Sam up and walking so early in his recovery. "What brings you two here?" Sam asked. Getting over their shock, Handy asked his question first, "I was so interested when we saw your armor, I just have to know how it's made, and your swords, how do they glow like that?"

"Come outside with us, and I'll tell you everything, as for my armor, as long as it stays the way it is, you can have a look." he said, and then turning to Hefty he asked, "And you?" Hefty lifted up a Smurf sized book before he spoke, "This is the new book Brainy Smurf wrote, it smurfs about the samurai and how they are a powerful people." he explained. "And?" Sam asked. "I was wondering if you wanted to arm-wrestle?" Hefty asked, and Smurfette gave him the mother of all death glares for it, "Uh…when you're all better of course." he added in with a smile of false innocence. Sam smiled and responded, "When I'm done healing." Smurfette and Sam continued their trek outside as soon as they entered the shadows of the tree, and exited the darkness of the house, she looked to Sam, his face now visible to her, she gawked in surprise, he was handsome for a human. His chin was sharp and his blue eyes were the same shad as her own, he was fairly pale because of the lack of sun, but she thought it just added to the beauty. His eyes were focused and determined, his bushy eyebrows narrowed in a crazy desire to protect. Looking down as the two traveled, she saw behind the bandages to the broad and built chest it hid under its wrappings, his arms strong and sturdy even if he didn't have huge muscles, they still looked very powerful. The loose pants he wore were black and seemed to be of a different culture. "Let's go to that hill, the one near my house, it should suffice for a resting spot." he said, breaking her from her thoughts. Looking up she saw his hand crossing right in front of her to point at a small hill not too far away. They made their way to the hill with her not even saying a word, and a blush dominant on her cheeks. As they left the house, Handy made his way into the building, and exited with the blue armor in tow.

The four of them sat on that hill for almost two hours listening and watching as Handy looked and marveled over the human's armor. "Genius, absolutely brilliant, this armor is a smurfy design." the Smurf said. "Glad you like it." Sam said with a broad smile on his face. "What about your swords, how in the smurf did you get them to shine in the night like that?" Handy asked, placing the armor on the grass. Sam looked to his swords and Smurfette followed his eyes. The handle of the swords was covered in a blue cloth tightly attached to the handle, and capped with silver like metal. Spanning the entire handle on both sides, were diamond shaped metal pin like devices that held the fabric in place. The hilt of the sword looked like four curved calligraphic lines placed to form a rectangle. The inside of the rectangle was filled with what looked to her like metallic beads all crammed together. Before Sam could do anything, the four of them heard the Smurflings playing their game a short distance away. And it seemed that when they looked at them, they could feel it, because Sassette looked right at them. "Hey, Sam's outside." she called out, and the other three stopped to see if she was fibbing or not. When they saw she wasn't, they all cheered and ran to join the three Smurfs and the Human. "Hey Sam can you teach us some smurfy new moves?" Snappy asked as they got close enough. Sam smiled and said, "You are actually just in time, I was just about to show them my swords." and he drew the longer one.

As the sword came out, everyone heard the sound of metal sliding against metal. The sword was single sided and curved towards the flat side as if trying to expose the sharp side as much as possible. The first thing she saw was the pearl attached to the base of the blade pulled away from the sharp side, coming off of the pearl and traveling down the entire length of the blade was what looked to her like a swirly design that ended at the tip of the sword. "This is called a katana, the shorter blade is called a Wakizashi. Normally the two swords are made by a person called a blacksmith, the blacksmith devotes his life to getting the art of sword making perfect, while the samurai are the ones who actually use the swords he makes. However these swords were made by the keeper of light many centuries ago, in order to keep her protected from the darkness. The keeper couldn't use them properly so she chose the greatest warrior of Japan at that time as her guardian. The guardian was able to seal away the power of shadows after a three year war that he fought alone, and placed these swords in a temple that only the bravest and strongest could find." All the Smurfs around him oohed and ahed and the beauty of the blade. So he continued, "The actual light comes from the pearl embedded into the blade, and the light is actually a manifestation of the power in my heart. The stronger the wielder, the brighter and stronger the light." he explained. Smurfette was amazed at the knowledge he had of this particular subject, but only really started thinking when the Smurflings asked, "Can you teach us to fight like you?" Sam thought for a minute before stating, "Training will be tough and demanding, think you four can keep up?" the four of them all cheered at once, saying "YES SIR!" Smurfette said quickly yet quietly, "Would you teach me to?" Sam turned to her, letting her know, with embarrassment, that he heard her. "Normally women can't be samurai," he said to her, but something in his gut told him she may be special. Sam flipped his sword upside down so he was gently holding the blade near the hilt, and said, "Hold this for me." She grabbed the handle with both hands and when she took it she was gentle yet firm, like she never wanted to drop it, the thing he noticed next was the way she held it, her hand position was perfect. "Maybe this could work out." he whispered to himself.

**End of the chapter.**


	9. Whispers of the Smurf

**Whispers of the Smurf – **

That night Sam spent his time whittling, or trying to. The monstrosity he created looked nothing like what he intended it to. He had made several attempts to make a wooden practice sword called a bokken, and so far he had failed every time. Only when Smurfette finally reentered the house, did he ask, "Can we go outside again?" Smurfette turned her head to look at him in question, "What for?" she asked. "I need to talk to Handy about something." he said simply. "I'll bring Handy here in the morning," and yawned deeply, "I'm too tired right now." With that, she plopped down into the chair nearby and stretched her back out. Sam turned to her, and placed the wooden piece of crap on the floor before scooting over to the far side of the bed, the best he could. "Instead of using the chair, why not sleep in the bed?" he offered. He had told Handy during the time the house was being built, that he was use to sleeping either on the floor or in a large bed. Coincidentally, Handy built him the equivalence of a queen size bed for Smurfs. Smurfette was about to argue, but the invitation of a soft bed instead of the chair tonight was too much to pass up, so without a word and half asleep, she crawled into the bed and flopped on top of the covers, instantly falling asleep.

When morning came, Smurfette found herself in Sam's bed, and Sam fast asleep. Half asleep, she slid out and walked across the floor to try to get ready for the day. Only when she was half way did all that information set in. Her eyes shot open wide and she blushed feverously. Turning around slowly she saw just who she thought she saw, Sam still fast asleep. Thankful only a little for that fact, Smurfette decided she needed a small break from being around him, and exited the house to promptly make her way to the kitchen. There she found Handy, Greedy and Baker. "Oh Handy? Can I speak with you a minute?" she called out. Handy turned to watch as she made her way to him. "How can I smurf you Smurfette?" he asked. "I…I need a break from helping Sam, and he wanted to see you for something smurfy, could you help him today for me?" she asked in a near panic. "Uh sure, I suppose." he said. Smurfette seemed to be relieved when she said, "Oh thank you Handy Smurf, thank you." and ran towards her house. "I wonder what's gotten into her?" he said.

Smurfette sighed out loud, "It's no use, every time I get close to him something smurfs inside me." she said to herself. "Like what Smurfette?" she heard from her window. There hanging upside down in the bush next to Smurfette's home, was Sassette. "Why Sassette, what are you doing here?" Smurfette asked. "Just hanging around." Sassette joked. Smurfette stood from her vanity and made her way to the window, "At least you can still smile." she said before pulling the Smurfling into the house. "What do you mean?" Sassette asked. "I'm just so confused right now, I don't know what to smurf." Smurfette admitted. "About what?" Sassette asked curiously. "About me, about Sam. I always feel so vulnerable, so weak around him, and at the same time, I feel like I can take on the whole world all by my smurf." she said and soon she was in a whole different world, just empting her heart, "He scares me and at the same time I feel safe around him. I'm so confident and nervous around him at the same time, and when I hear his name, I just can't help but think about him. He worries me so much, yet I trust and believe in him just the same." she said. "Gosh that doesn't make any sense." Sassette said, releasing Smurfette from her revere. "I know and that's why I'm so confused." Smurfette said. "Do you hate Sam because he's confusing you?" Sassette asked with a frown on her face. "No." Smurfette said simply. "So you like him?" Sassette asked innocently smiling. Smurfette thought about those words a little before answering, "Y…yes. Yes I do like him Sassette. I like him a lot." she admitted, more to herself than anyone else. After those words left her mouth, she began to feel better. "What do you like the best about him?" Smurfette asked in total wonder. "Everything!" Smurfette said boldly, the more she spoke, the braver she got, and the clearer things got for her.

"He's so brave and smurfy, strong and just a little shy. He's like the perfect Smurf." she continued in a dream like stat. "But he's a human, not a Smurf." Sassette said bringing Smurfette out of her dream. "Oh, right." she said in realization. "Still he's pretty smurfy for a human right?" Sassette said in a happy tone. "That's for smurf." Smurfette said. "So let's tell him all about it." Sassette said walking toward the door. Smurfette nearly panicked, and grabbed Sassette by the shoulders to stop her. "NO! He can never know." Smurfette said. "But why?" Sassette asked genuinely confused. "He might think I'm weird or off my smurf or something." Smurfette told her. "You mean about the 'Perfect Smurf' thing?" Sassette asked. Smurfette simply nodded in embarrassment. "Ok Smurfette, it'll be our little secret." Sassette said and winked at the older girl. Smurfette sighed in thankfulness, and said, "Thank you Sassette, now go get some breakfast." Sassette ran to the door laughing happily, upon exiting she ran into the other Smurflings. "How'd it go?" Slouchy asked. "Smurfy, she said she really likes Sam, but doesn't want him to know for some smurf." Sassette said. "Don't worry Sassette, none of us will tell," Nat said. "But she might." Snappy said with an evil sneaky grin.

Two weeks had passed by, and Sam was on his own feet now. The bokkens made by Handy were the best he'd ever seen, and Sam took an entire day to set up the training. When the shade covered his house, Sam went out and put the equipment together, "Hi Sam." he heard from behind him. Turning around, he saw Sassette standing there. "Hello Sassette, come for training?" he asked. "You betcha, I wouldn't miss this for a whole bush of Smurfberries." she said excitedly. Sam looked around a while before attempting to set things up. "Looking for Smurfette?" she asked. Sam apparently was caught off guard at that, and fumbled with the bundle of bokkens before regaining his composure. Sam began to blush a little, and thanks to the way he was brought up, he told the truth, "Yes."

"Do you like Smurfette?" she blurted out. Sam looked at her with confusion in his eyes, "Of course I do. Why do you ask?" he wondered. "Just wondering!" she said innocently. "Well, I'm very much indebted to her, she took her time to take care of me, and I'm going to repay that debt anyway I can." he told the little Smurfling. Sassette tilted her head to the left in confusion and asked, "What does 'in dept' mean?"

"It means I owe her, and I intend to repay her kindness." Sam replied. "Do you think she's pretty to? Cause I want to be like her when I grow up." Sassette asked. Sam looked at Sassette like she may have been crazy, "Of course she's pretty, I've never thought otherwise." he said as he continued his work, suddenly he stopped to think a while, and said, "Although, I wonder what she would look like in a traditional Japanese Kimono." he whispered to himself. "Huh?" she asked. Sam turned to her and said, "It's nothing important."

"If it's not important, than why won't you tell me?" she asked genuinely curious. Sam thought about her words and the truth they held. After making his decision, he looked left, and then right before he motioned for Sassette to come closer. "In Japan, the women wear something called a kimono, some are used as every day cloths, but the most decorative and expensive ones are used for special occasions like formal parties, or celebrations."

"What does a kimono look like?" she asked. Sam motioned for her to come inside with him, and pulled out a piece of paper from the desk, she watched as he drew pictures on it and noticed that he was not the best at drawing but not the worst, she knew what it roughly looked like. "Here," he said as he gave her the paper, "have Taylor Smurf make you one if you want."

"Thanks." she said and ran off as fast as she could, meeting up with the other Smurflings at the bridge. "What'd you get?" Snappy asked. "This, it's a Japanese dress called a kimono." she said, proudly presenting her picture. "Alright, we have less than one week before training, let's get Sam and Smurfette together tomorrow." Snappy told the others.

**End of the chapter.**


	10. Be Smurf My Heart

**Be Smurf My Heart – **

Sassette walked right up to Taylor's hut, and pounded on the door as hard as she could. A Smurf with pins in his hat and a tape measure hanging off of his shoulders opened the door. "Why Sassette, what's the emergency?" he asked in a New Yorker's accent. "Can you make this?" she asked while holding up her drawing for him to look at. After looking at the 'three-year-olds' drawing of what was supposed to be a Kimono, Tailor handed it back, "Wish I could Sassette, but I've got a smurf load of cloths to mend." he said, turning to his work. Sassette decided to play it differently, "That's ok Tailor Smurf; it probably wouldn't come out very smurfy anyway." she said with what looked to be a downtrodden look. Tailor watched as she walked away for a few seconds, the guilt setting in before saying, "Wait Sassette," and sighed in defeat, "I'll see what I can smurf." Sassette smiled, her plan had worked like a charm.

Snappy, on the other hand, went to visit Greedy Smurf in his kitchen. Snappy just opened the door and walked right in. Greedy Smurf wore a scarf around his neck like a bib, and had a chef's hat in place of his Smurf hat. "Greedy, can you give us a hand?" Snappy asked. Greedy shoved a smurf sized cake into his mouth before answering, "Sure Snappy, what do you need?" then swallowing. "The other Smurflings and I need you to make a special dinner for Sam and Smurfette." the Smurfling said. Stuffing a cookie into his mouth, Greedy asked, "What's the occasion?"

"Smurf romantic. Blegh." Snappy said with a mild disgust, then sticking his finger down his throat. Greedy immediately spit out the cookie in his surprise, "You want me to smurf a romantic dinner so Sam and Smurfette can smurf in love?" he asked in a quiet outrage. "They're already smurfing for each other; they just need to admit it to each other." Snappy said, holding his hands up in defense. "What?" Greedy nearly shouted. Snappy resorted to a calm quiet pleading voice, "Listen Greedy, I've been around Smurfette for a while. I've never seen her as happy as when she is around Sam, have you?" he asked. Greedy let his temper subside a little to think, and sighed in a defeat at the answer he came up with, "No, I haven't."

"So will you help us?" Snappy asked hopefully. Sighing again, Greedy Smurf stood up strait, "Why not, it is for Smurfette." and smiled.

Nat Smurfling was the one chosen to visit the least enjoyable Smurf in the village, Brainy. Nat hoped to high heaven that Brainy wouldn't go into one of his 'I'm so smart' rants as he gathered the information he needed. Nat knocked on the door of the brainiac's mushroom house hoping to an even higher heaven that he was not home. Unfortunately, Brainy answered the door. "Oh, hello Nat." Brainy said, less that enthused. Nat summoned up all the courage he could to not kick Brainy in the shin for that. "Brainy, what do humans smurf before they have dinner?" he asked. Brainy quirked an eyebrow at the little Smurfling, "Whatever they want." he said simply. Nat realized the mistake in how he asked, and said, "No, I mean if a human boy is trying to impress a human girl."

"Are you and the Smurflings up to something?" Brainy asked, knowing right away that they had an ulterior motive; even if it didn't take him long to figure it out. Nat quickly began sweating as he searched for an excuse, "Umm…well…no you see…uh."

"You four are trying to hook Sam up with Smurfette aren't you?" he surmised. Nat had a deer in the headlights look to him, he had no idea that Brainy would figure it out so fast. "I thought so." the older Smurf said before smiling, "I'm not really smurfy about what you are doing, but if it will keep Smurfette happy, then I'll help."

"Jumping Jellybeans, this is perfect." Sassette said as she modeled her new kimono for Tailor Smurf. The dress was light blue and hugged her hips and wrapped around to make a formal looking ensemble. The sleeves opened up wide at the wrists, almost as wide as her waist. The design on the dress was of a Chinese dragon made from white material wrapping itself around her and crawling over her left shoulder. "I must admit, it wasn't as hard as I first smurfed." he said, very proud of himself. "Can you make one for Smurfette?" she asked quickly. Tailor placed his hand against his mouth in thought, before smiling and saying "Absasmurfly Sassette, I'll have it done in a jiffy." With that he went to work on making Smurfette's surprise kimono. "And I've got the perfect design. I just know she'll be smurfed."

"Good, because it's a surprise." Sassette said before giggling. "I figured so." Tailor said as he focused on his work while Sassette admired herself in the mirror.

Snappy and Nat met up with Slouchy at their house right at noon. "So how did it go?" Slouchy asked. "Greedy agreed to smurf the dinner." Snappy said. "And Brainy gave me these to help." Nat said presenting two envelopes, one addressed to Smurfette and the other to Sam. "You told him our plan?" Snappy nearly screamed. "No, he figured it out to fast. But he did agree to help, and he smurfed these letters." Nat said a little scared. "Sounds smurfier than our original plan." Slouchy agreed. Snappy smiled at the thought, "Smurfaroo, this just might work." Gently, yet quickly Snappy grabbed the letter for Sam, and ran off to deliver it before the shade covered the hill. Nat took off to deliver the letter addressed to Smurfette. "I knew hanging with them would be an adventure in itself." Slouchy said to himself.

Sam was going over the wooden Bokkens he had just received from Handy, when he heard what sounded like paper being slid under his door. He closed his eyes and focused all his senses on the sound of the footfalls outside, he recognized that they moved pretty fast and had small feet. Those two things alone told him that the deliverer was a Smurfling and most likely not Slouchy because of the quickness of the steps. He also noticed that the sound was slightly cushioned like the Smurfling wore shoes, effectively eliminating Nat. Sam smiled at the child-like behavior of the person. Unfortunately the footfalls were the only noise he could hear, leaving him to guess between Sassette and Snappy. Sam opened his eyes and looked to his door, thanks to the light shining through the bottom; he noticed the pink envelope lying on the ground. He quickly opened it up and placed the letter on the ground in the light so he could read it. It read, 'My dearest Sam, I would like to meet you tonight at the creek, under the willow branches, please be their right after sundown. There is much we need to smurf about. I hope to tell you everything, and I hope you will share all your wishes with me. Sincerely, Smurfette.' Sam smiled at how prank-like it was, and then he frowned as he began to think, 'what if it really was written by Smurfette?' He decided, "Even if it isn't, I'd better humor them, they are just kids after all." he said and smiled.

Smurfette was singing to herself while brushing her hair, and thinking, "La la lala la la, la lala la la," she sang, "I wonder, how has Sam been smurfing without me?" she asked herself. Suddenly sadness enveloped her features, her shoulders slumped and the hand that held the brush fell to her side. Frowning she sighed and said, "It's no use, I just can't get him out of my smurf." That was before she heard knock on the door, as she turned to answer, she saw a lovely white letter slide its way under her door. Getting up, Smurfette walked to the piece of stationary and picked it up, before opening the door and looking out. "He…hello?" she asked looking to the right. Finding no one, she turned to her left and called out, "Is someone there?" Seeing no one again, she slid inside her house and closed her door, and then she opened the letter. "My dearest Smurfette, though your hair be like sun rays, I am in darkness, and your eyes like the clearest water I cannot drink. My heart has been locked away, and now you have released it to the world, and I give it only to you. When the moon shines silver, I would meet you under the willow near the water of the creek, there I will reveal my true self and the love I have for you. Your secret admirer." she read out loud. Gasping in shock, she asked, "Oh dear, what am I going to wear?"

**End of the chapter.**


	11. On Cloud Smurf

**On Cloud Smurf – **

Smurfette ran towards her destination as quickly as she could, Tailor's shop was probably one of the furthest from her house. Instead of knocking like she usually did, Smurfette nearly knocked down the door, "Taylor, I've got an emergency." she said, before she saw him sewing what looked like a pair of Grouchy's pants, though she couldn't really tell. "Why hello Smurfette, what can I smurf for you?" he asked. "Listen I need a new dress, something that smurfs, 'confident', but not too confident." she said in a hurry. Tailor chuckled a little at her urgency, "Why Smurfette, you act like you've got a date or something." he said. Smurfette blushed a little shyly before saying, "Well actually…"

"Say no more Smurfette, I've got a new dress designed for you right here." he said patting a blue box next to him, "Now remember Smurfette, this dress is for formal occasions only."

"Like what?" she asked nervously as she picked up the box. "Like your date tonight. Just try not to get it dirty." he said. Smurfette smiled brightly and said, "I promise Taylor." before turning to the door. As she tried to close the door, she heard him say, "Be sure to ask Sassette about how to put it on." This confused her a little, how hard can a dress be to put on?

That she found out when she got home, the dress looked more like a robe than anything she'd ever seen. The design of the fabric was white with some of her favorite blue flowers sewn into the fabric all around the entire dress. She just couldn't figure out how to put it on the right way. The package consisted of the dress itself, a large light blue ribbon like tie belt, and two thin strips of fabric. "I think I need some help." she finally admitted.

Smurfette made her way to the Smurflings' home, hoping that she could find… "Sassette, what are you doing?" she heard Snappy say. Smurfette walked into the room to find Sassette wearing a dress similar to her new one, and she was walking around the room with it on. "I'm trying to get smurfy with walking in this thing." she said before turning around and seeing what she considered a big sister standing in the door way. "Hi ya Smurfette!" she said happily. "Sassette, when did Tailor smurf that for you?" she asked. "Oh, you mean my kimono? I smurfed a picture from Sam and just had to have one. So I asked Tailor to smurf one for me." the little girl replied. "He smurfed one for me to." Smurfette told her. "Smurfaroo, that's smurfy." Sassette said in a fake but believable surprise. "Sassette, could you smurf over to my house and show me how to put it on?" Smurfette asked in a slight embarrassment, she just hoped no one would ask why. "Sure." Sassette said as she walked towards Smurfette, still in her kimono…and tripped.

"Are you sure it's supposed to fit like this?" Smurfette asked modeling her new kimono in the mirror. "Sure, Sam said left over right, that's how you wear a kimono." Sassette said repeating the instructions from her drawing. Smurfette gazed at the mirror, looking herself over. The light blue 'obi' belt wrapped around her perfectly the way it was suppose to, making a bow in the back, and she loved the flower design. By this time, the sun was about to go down and Smurfette needed to hurry. Sassette watched as Smurfette began walking towards the willow tree near the creek, Snappy approached her, "So how did it go?" he asked. "Smurfy! She's on her way right now." she responded. Secretly Snappy looked Sassette up and down before saying, "You look smurfy in that." and quickly walking away from her towards the Smurflings house. Sassette watched as he left, blushing lightly, until she turned to him and said, "Wait for me." and began walking the same way trying very hard not to trip.

When Smurfette arrived at the designated place, she was slightly out of breath, placing her hand against the trunk of the willow tree, she lowered her head to catch her breath. When she looked up, she noticed a silhouette sitting on a fallen branch near the flowing creek. She only noticed it because of the moonlight. He was turned just right so she couldn't tell if he was a Smurf or not, but the glint off of the shoulder she saw let her know who it might be. Ducking behind the tree, she tried desperately to slow her beating heart, so she could at least talk. Peeking back at the silhouette, Smurfette watched as he just sat there staring at the moving water, then he turned around to look right at her. "Glad you could make it." Sam said before turning back to the water. Smurfette nearly froze where she stood. She forced herself to take a few cleansing breaths before, again, forcing herself to emerge from behind the tree. Walking slowly to him, Sam stood from his seat, and turned to meet her. The moment he saw her he was stunned, the kimono she wore was beautiful, and he believed it truly represented her. Her shyness revealed itself in the way she held her own hand out in front of herself. "You look beautiful." he said quietly. "Thank you." she whispered back.

The two of them just stood there for a minute, staring at each other, Sam in his armor and Smurfette in her kimono. "Would you like to sit with me?" he asked awkwardly. She nodded, not trusting her voice. When she joined him, they fell into another stretch of silence, just enjoying each other's company. "I'm going to protect you." he said suddenly. Smurfette looked to him curiously, silently asking a question only she knew. "As long as I'm residing in this village, I'll protect everyone in it, but even if I get kicked out, I'll always protect you." he said. "I'm not a fragile girl you know." she said only slightly annoyed. Sam looked to the sky before saying, "I know that, that's why I said 'protect' not 'shelter'. I don't plan on keeping you from terrible things; I plan on helping where I can. What's coming is something no one except me can defeat."

"What do you mean?" she asked a little scared. "As long as this barrier holds up we'll be safe. But if it ever falls, the shadows will stop at nothing until everyone I care about is dead." he told her. "What do you mean 'shadows'?" she asked. "Let's hope you never have to find out." he replied. After that, the conversations turned to other things, happier things and they let the hours tick away. Soon Smurfette found herself more and more comfortable around him and wished that the night would never end. After another more comfortable silence, it was Smurfette who spoke up, "We should get going," and her stomach growled to let her know, "I've missed dinner."

"I eat about this time, care to join me?" Sam asked.

As the two made their way back to the village Smurfette smelled something delicious. When they finally reached the center of the village, the smells got stronger, until they reached the cafeteria. At the door, Smurfette and Sam could see that all of the chairs and tables had been cleared out and a single small round table with a white table cloth and a single candle with what looked like a shade over top of it sat in the middle. "They really thought this through didn't they?" Sam said in amassment. Smurfette turned to look at him, "Who?" she asked. Sam chuckled lightly before announcing his thoughts, "The Smurflings." Smurfette was stunned, "I thought you wrote that letter." she said. "I wish I had now, then I'd know what it said." he admitted. Before she could respond, he spoke up, "However there is something I want to tell you that does come from my heart." and with that, he turned her to face him, "I've got the world's biggest crush on you. It may even be love." Smurfette's eyes widened at his words, and her voice caught in her throat. Without her even knowing, tears welled up in her eyes and a smile formed itself on her face. Because she couldn't talk at that time, she instead wrapped her arms around him and embraced him tightly, her courage building slowly at first, and then like a train, sped up rapidly. Finally she found her voice, "The feeling is smurfy." she said. Then both their stomachs growled at the same time. "Let's get something to eat." he suggested.

**End of the Chapter.**


	12. Shadow Smurfs

**Shadow Smurfs –**

Months had passed now and the Smurfs stayed safe from harm completely. Every now and then the Smurflings would go out and tease Gargamel and Azrael into slamming face first into the barrier, Papa Smurf tried to put a stop to that, but they now do it while he's not around. It was during one of their little pranks near twilight that they saw something strange, "Suffering sarsaparilla, Pappy Gargamel's really going to smurf over this new one." Sassy said as she carried a smurf sized doll with her. Snappy strolled behind carrying the lower half, "You betcha Sassette, this will be the smurfiest prank we ever pulled on old Gargamel, and we still never left the barrier."

"We never leave the barrier." Nat said from off to the right of Sassette. Suddenly the four Smurflings heard a sweet gentle female voice call out to them, "Smurflings." it pleaded, "Come find me. Let's play together." the voice sang. "Weeping willows, what was that?" Sassette asked, with fear creeping up her spine. "Come and play with me." the voice said again. Slouchy pointed in front of them, "It sounds like it's smurfing from Gargamel's home." and the four of them ran, leaving the doll on the ground. As the Smurflings approached the spot they knew the barrier was at, they peered out to find what they thought was where the voice was coming from. What they saw was the shape of a Smurf in the shadows of a bush. "Sam?" Snappy asked. When the shadow opened its eyes, they shined a dull yellow, and Slouchy thought he could see malice in them. The shadow lifted its head, revealing long black locks of hair that looked oh so familiar to them. Sassette walked up to nearly touch the barrier, thought she recognized the shape, and reached her hand out, "Smurfette?" she whispered. "Come and play." the voice whispered back. The moment her fingers exited the protective barrier, the shadow shot its hand out like lightning, and gripped her fingers with an iron grip, and began to pull her out of the barrier. "AHHHH!" Sassette screamed out. The other Smurflings quickly grabbed her other hand and played a life or death tug of war with the shadow.

From his home near the forest, Sam knew he heard the distressed scream of Sassette. He stiffened his back and froze, focusing intently on what he heard. Smurfette had gone home for the day, so he was alone. His armor in his house, and his sword in his hands, he took off like a lightning bolt towards their location. Moving as fast as he could, the forest floor was like a blur, and his sword out to his right side, he arrived at the Smurflings' giant doll before he heard the boys grunting, trying desperately to save their friend. Slipping behind a nearby tree, Sam saw the entire situation, Sassette was being pulled almost completely out of the barrier by a shadow form of a Smurfette, and the other three Smurflings were trying with everything they had to save their friend. Silently, he dashed out from the forest and passed the barrier to let his shining sword slice through the shadow's midsection. He ended in a pose that forced him to kneel on one knee, his katana out to his right side pointed out. Silence and stillness perforated through the air before the shadow of a Smurfette let go to scream in agony. The four Smurflings fell in a heap to the ground and watched as the creature slid in half before dissolving into nothing. "Spooky smurfberries, what was that?" Sassette asked in a panic. "First things first, what were you Smurflings doing out here…with a smurf sized doll?" he asked sternly as he entered the barrier. The three boy Smurflings lowered their heads, knowing they were caught, "Playing a smurfy prank?" Slouchy confessed. "Not very smurfy now is it?" he asked looking to the shivering Sassette. "No." the boys all agreed. Sam sighed, releasing all of his anger on the wind of his breath, "Let's see what Papa Smurf has to say." he said. "Aw, do we have to?" Snappy asked, turning to Sassette, he saw her trembling in fear, and just about in tears as Sam walked up to her. Sassette quickly grabbed a hold of his pant leg and buried her face into the fabric. "I guess it's for the best." he said defeated as he dropped his arms and looked to Sassette with regret in his eyes.

"I told you little Smurflings not to do that. Now look what happened?" Papa Smurf said in a rage. "We're sorry Papa Smurf," the three boys said in unison. Sassette continued shaking in fear as she clutched to Papa Smurf. "Poor Sassette, what was that?" Snappy asked in worry. "That is something we'll call a Shadow Smurf, Snappy." Sam said. "A shadow Smurf?" Papa Smurf asked. Sam looked to the trembling Sassette and sighed, "Looks like I've got some explaining to do huh?" he asked. Papa Smurf simply nodded and turned to Snappy, "Go get Smurfette, perhaps she can help calm Sassette down." he ordered. Snappy nodded and ran to go fetch her. Papa Smurf turned back to Sam with a disapproving glance, "Now, tell me everything." he demanded. Sam took a deep breath and explained, "The first time I saw them they killed my entire village. They always take the shape of the people I care about the most. Their only mission is to destroy the people they represent, and they will stop at nothing to accomplish this mission. Unfortunately I really don't know how they are created but what I do know is that they are empty of all positive emotion, and filled with evil intentions."

"Great smurfs." Papa whispered. "I'm sorry , if you want me to leave then I will, you can even keep the barrier stone." he said, but Papa was interrupted by Smurfette's arrival, "NO." she called out, and ran to embrace him. "You can't," she whispered. "Smurfette, Papa is the leader of the village. So by my honor, I must do what he tells me to do." Sam said while patting her on the head. "I won't let you leave." she said simply, and hugged him tighter. Papa smiled and relaxed, "Looks like my mind has been smurfed for me. You can stay." he said, getting Smurfette to look his way. "Oh thank smurf." Smurfette said, burying her face into his chest in relief. Sam wrapped his arms around her, and looked to Sassette, still shaking from her fear. "Now I have another question, why just you?" Papa Smurf asked stroking his beard and patting Sassette's back at the same time. "Because I'm the guardian of light." he said simply. "Excuse me?" Papa asked. "These swords were made for the chosen warrior to protect the keeper of light, or Lady Light as you call her. I was given them because I was chosen as the guardian." he said, and then he put his hand to his chin, "At least I think so."

"You think so?" Smurfette asked. "It was prophesied that the guardian is the same species as the keeper, but no one knows what the keeper is. When the swords were made, the keeper was human, who knows what she is now." Sam explained. "Why wouldn't she be human now?" Sassette managed to say. "Good question Sassette." Sam said, then he caught who it was who spoke, "Sassette, are you ok?" he asked while coming close to her. "Thanks to you." she said. "Oh Sassette, you've calmed down." Smurfette said, and brought the little girl into a tight hug. Sassette didn't even hesitate to hug Smurfette back and hold on for dear life. "You poor dear, you must have been scared smurfed. Let's go find Greedy and see if he'll make you some of your favorite sweets." she said as she ushered the frightened girl out. "Sassette had a good question," Papa said after they left, "And fortunately, I actually have an answer."

"I'd love to hear it Papa." Sam said. "The power of Lady light is passed to a female of a different species every time her lifespan ends, and like a phoenix she is reborn. It is said that one of every species will be chosen before she becomes immortal." Papa informed him. "So has she ever been a Smurf?" Sam asked. "How should I know?" Papa said shrugging his shoulders. Continuing on, Papa explained, "Lady Light's life span is the lifespan of her species doubled and sometimes tripled. She is to live longer than any of her kind." he said. Sam folded his arms, and bowed his head in thought, "How many guardians have there been?" he asked. "Yours has been the only one recorded." Papa responded. "I wonder what he discovered with these swords." Sam whispered to himself.

Smurfette walked the best she could with Sassette clinging to her dress tightly, on their way to find Greedy Smurf in his kitchen. Sassette, still scared from her run in with the Shadow Smurf, walked slowly to keep her 'big sister' as close as possible as long as possible. Arriving at Greedy's place, Smurfette was the one forced to knock since Sassette refused to. When Greedy opened his door, he smiled, "Oh Smurfette, Sassette!" he greeted and finally saw the look on the little Smurfling's face, "What's wrong?"

"Sassette's just a little smurfed right now; do you have anything that will help?" Greedy placed his hand to his chin in thought, "I have some smurfberry taffy left, think she'd like some?" he asked. Smurfette looked to Sassette, who slowly nodded in response, and the two of them entered onto Greedy's hut.

**The end of the chapter.**


	13. The New Smurf on the Block

**The New Smurf on the Block –**

Two more months passed and Sassette was back to her old self, though she now refused to go anywhere near the edge of the barrier. During those two months, the temperatures outside had dropped, and the leaves began to change colors, though they still refused to fall. Smurfette progressed quickly in her training, fueled by the desire to protect her 'little sister' if necessary. Sam had called for Handy Smurf through a new mail system Handy had invented. It was a kind of catapult that rotated and locked into specific positions aiming the shell enclosed letters at the Smurf's chimneys perfectly. With his help, they hit their marks every time. Opening Sam's door carefully, Handy called out, "You wanted to see me Sam?" Sam called back from his bed in the corner, "Come in." Handy walked into the dark house and closed the door behind him. "Has any Smurf ever tried blacksmithing?" he asked. "Not that I can think of." Handy replied, then snapped his fingers, "But I've smurfed some metal work in my days." he added. "Do you think you could recreate a pair of samurai swords for Smurfette?" Sam asked. "I thought you told me they use a specific style?" Handy asked. "I'm not very good at it, but I know enough to teach you and maybe one other Smurf the method of folding metal." Sam informed him.

Smurfette was seen watering her flowers and singing to herself. The flowers she grew were the most beautiful any of the Smurfs had ever seen, even though they looked at them every time. "La la lala la la la lala la la." she sang. "Ooo, these flowers are so Smurfy." she said to herself. "Chattering chipmunks they sure are." she heard Sassette say from behind her. Smurfette stopped watering in order to turn her head and look her 'little sister' in the eyes. "Thank you Sassette." she said. "Something big is going on at Sam's house. Wanna go with me to see?" Sassette asked. "Something big? Like what?" Smurfette asked as she placed her watering can on the floor and walked closely to Sassette heading for Sam's assigned house. When the two got there, they saw a large crowd of Smurfs out front and Handy ushering one of the smurf into the house. A few seconds later, everyone heard what sounded like a clang, and Handy ushered the Smurf back out with a downtrodden face. Handy ushered another Smurf into the house before Smurfette found Brainy Smurf at the back of the crowd. "What's going on Brainy?" she asked. "Oh Smurfette, hi." Brainy said as he turned to recognize her, "Sam is having this trial to see if he can teach one of us Smurfs an ancient Japanese skill." Suddenly they heard another clank of metal on metal and the Smurf came back out with a downtrodden look. Brainy turned back to Smurfette, "Is obvious that I, Brainy Smurf, am the only Smurf qualified for this task, I am the smurfiest at such things as this you know." he ranted on, "After all I am the most intelligent, and skilled, and brilliant…" that was all she could take before moving to the front of the line to watch as Grouchy Smurf walked out of the hut, she could see the look of disappointment past his rough grouchy exterior and folded arms, "I hate 'not having the touch'." he said, before walking away. The next Smurf that walked in disappeared through the door and Smurfette stopped Handy before he could disappear as well, "Handy, what's smurfing on?" she asked. Handy turned to look at who addressed him, "Oh Smurfette, it's just something Sam and I came up with." he tried explaining. Before Smurfette could ask what, every one heard another clang, but this one somehow sounded different, it sounded like it sang, causing the entire crowd to ooh and ah at the marvel. "Sounds like we have our winner!" Handy said, and turned to enter the house. Smurfette followed him in to find out what was going on, and Sassette followed Smurfette.

When she and Sassette entered, they saw what looked to be a portable stove and a glowing piece of metal out on an anvil, they also saw Sam and the other Smurf shaking hands. "Handy go make the announcement. We've found him." Sam said. "The other Smurfs won't be too happy, but it was a contest." he said as he walked out to announce the winner. Smurfette looked at the Smurf, but still didn't recognize him. "My guess is now you will be called Blacksmith Smurf right?" Sam asked. "That's right." the smurf said. His voice came out as a gruff and tough voice, much deeper then Hefty's voice, and it held a wisdom that Smurfette just couldn't comprehend. Sam smiled at the Smurf and said, "Then Handy and Architect Smurf will start work on your forge, and I'll be teaching Handy so he can teach you."

"Why can't I just learn from you?" Blacksmith asked. Sam thought about it and said, "It will be very late before I can arrive for your lessons."

"I don't mind, that will just give me time to practice and perfect my techniques." he said and turned around to exit the house. "He'll be the best Blacksmith this world has ever seen." Sam said as he walked up to Smurfette and Sassette. "Nice to see you two." he said as he looked into Smurfette's eyes. Smurfette knew she would forget, and get lost in his eyes if she didn't ask now, "What was this contest about?" Sam sighed as he answered her, "We were seeing if any of the other Smurfs had a hidden talent for Blacksmithing."

"Silly sasquatch, is that what all the ringing was about?" Sassette asked. "You guessed it Sassette." Sam said, "The new Blacksmith Smurf has a natural touch for this kind of work."

"But we Smurfs never had a need for weapons." Smurfette said. "Blacksmithing isn't just for weapons Smurfette. Blacksmith Smurf can smurf almost anything from metal with the right training." Handy said as he walked back in. "Who was that anyway?" Sassette asked. "Indecisive Smurf." Handy said simply.

That very day, Vanity Smurf, a Smurf with a pink flower in his hat and a mirror in his hand, and Clumsy Smurf, a Smurf with his hat nearly covering his eyes, walked through the village, and discussed what to do as they crossed the bridge, "Greedy and Chief need more Smurfberries and no one else wants to go with me to get some." said Clumsy in what sounded like a village idiot style voice. Vanity spoke with an arrogance that came with his personality, vain. "Probably because you always trip and get everyone dirty." he said and kissed his mirror. "But I promise I'll be careful this…" he said, but never got to finish his sentence; he tripped over his own foot and nearly fell into the river. He managed to right himself when he caught hold of a lever sticking out of the bridge side and moved it. "You see?" Vanity said, not even noticing what Clumsy really did thanks to his mirror being in front of his face. Standing strait up, Clumsy continued, "But, if I promise not to get you dirty, will you help me? I can't smurf it by myself." Vanity thought as he patted his hat to make it, in his eyes perfect, "Well, Ok Clumsy. You always at least try to smurf your promises." he said, and the two of them made their way to the forest, neither noticing that the crystal had been pulled out of the water.

While out in the forest picking Smurfberries, a red berry that was the size of a Smurf's fist, the two of them talked and laughed with each other until their baskets were full. "Gosh," Clumsy laughed, "There sure are a lot of Smurfberries this year." Vanity never once broke eye contact with his mirror, but answered none the less, "Oh you're right Clumsy, and it sure is a handsome crop, oh but not as handsome as me." Clumsy lifted his full basket of smurfberries and began walking away from the bush, "Have you heard, there's a new smurf in the village?" he said before he tripped over a root and spilled his entire basket. "Oops, I did it again." he said, the smile never leaving his face. "Are you alright?" Vanity asked while helping him up. Suddenly a dark raspy voice could be heard "No he's not." The two Smurfs turned to see a human with buck teeth and a dark blue patched up robe, and an orange cat standing next to him. Both had a look of hunger on their faces. "G…G…G…GARGAMEL!" Clumsy shouted. The two Smurfs turned as fast as they could and took off like rockets, "Let's smurf out of here!" Vanity shouted, right before Gargamel wrapped his large hand around him, "Gotcha!" he said. Clumsy ran as fast as he could towards the village to get Papa Smurf's help. "Quickly, follow him Azrael." Gargamel called out and began running after him. Within minutes the terrible two had lost sight of Clumsy, "OH, Azrael, you lost him." Gargamel shouted. The cat meowed in protest of being singled out. "No mater, we've got just the bait to capture the other Smurfs." Gargamel said as he began laughing evilly to Vanity.

**End of the chapter.**


	14. Great Smurfs of Fire

**Great Smurfs of Fire – **

"PAPA SMURF, PAPA SMURF!" Clumsy yelled out as he ran through the village trying desperately to find him. Instead of stopping at Papa's door as he wanted, Clumsy found himself flying through the air after he tripped over a bucket someone had set down. Papa heard the noise and opened his door, "What on smurf is going on?" he asked right before Clumsy landed on him. They both flew into the lab and the only thing the others could hear was the smashing of something glass. Inside the lab, Papa found himself on the floor with Clumsy strewn across his stomach. "Clumsy!" he began yelling, but Clumsy's panic interrupted him. "G-G-G-G-G-GARGAMEL! He smurfed Vanity." he literally shouted. Papa's eyes shot open wide, "What? How?" he asked. After taking several deep calming breaths, Clumsy finally told Papa, "Me and Vanity were out picking Smurfberries for Greedy and Baker, when Gargamel and Azrael smurfed out of nowhere and grabbed Vanity."

"That can't be possible, the Smurfberry bushes are well beyond his reach inside of the barrier." Papa said as he and Clumsy stood up. Suddenly everyone could hear the cries of Handy as he ran through the village, "Papa Smurf, Papa Smurf!" When he finally reached the open door of the lab, he looked in with a panic, "Someone smurfed the lever and the crystal was **out** of the water. Who knows how long it's been like that."

"What?" Papa shouted before he glared at Clumsy angrily. "Uh oh." Clumsy said as he realized that it very well could have been him. "We'll talk later Clumsy, but first we need to save Vanity." Papa said, and took off to gather the other Smurfs. Handy walked up to Clumsy in a kind of surprise, "Gosh Clumsy, did you smurf the lever on the bridge?" he asked. Clumsy once again began to panic, "Yes… wha, no…I mean, it was an accident if I did." Handy stopped him from continuing, "I know you wouldn't smurf us on purpose, Clumsy. Just be more careful from now on." When Handy left the lab, Clumsy just began to feel worse.

In the town square, Papa stood on a small still growing mushroom as he announced to the entire village, "My little Smurfs, I'm afraid that Vanity has been smurfed by Gargamel." After hearing the news, the entire village gasped in shock. "But Papa, you said we didn't have to worry Gargamel anymore." Dreamy called out. "The crystal was smurfed out of the water and Vanity and Clumsy were out in the forest." Papa replied. This feedback only started gossip about how it was most likely one of Clumsy's 'accidents' and how he finally got someone in trouble, and others brought up a conspiracy theory. The only smurf who didn't get involved with the banter was Brainy, he just lowered his eyes and refused to believe even Clumsy would do that on purpose, and he wondered just how bad his best friend felt about this. "Now, now my little Smurfs, we first need to smurf Vanity out of Gargamel's clutches, before it's too late." Papa said and quickly formulated a plan to take six Smurfs with him and rescue Vanity. The six Smurfs were Handy, Hefty, Blacksmith who now wore a thick white apron and leather gloves, Brainy, Smurfette and Grouchy. Smurfette decided to make a quick stop to Sam's hut before she was to leave, "Sam, I'm going to help and rescue Vanity, you behave yourself." she called out and turned around to leave. Sam opened his door a crack, to see if the shade had moved over his house, and formed his own plan.

The seven Smurfs approached Gargamel's house, a rundown stone house shaped like a shoe. But they had no idea that the wizard was watching and waiting for them. "Heee, heee. Look at them Azrael." he said and turned to look at his cat, who was attempting to take a swipe at Vanity using his claws. "AZRAEL! Not yet you stupid cat!" he yelled and threw a boot at his pet, hitting the animal square in the back of the head. "You sorry simpleton." Gargamel said to Azrael, "You almost cost me seven more Smurfs." Azrael voiced his own unpleasantness with meows and growls. "This one needs to be alive for my plan to work." Gargamel explained and with that, Gargamel wrapped a small scarf over Vanity's mouth to keep him from warning the others, then he grabbed Azrael by the scruff and brought him into the closet with him. "Now hide yourself, and be patient." he said. Within seconds, Papa and the others came to his window. "There he is." Papa said to the others, "But I don't see Gargamel."

"Don't worry Papa, he's probably out smurfing for more Smurfs." Hefty reassured him. As the Smurfs leapt from the sill to the floor, they found themselves surrounded by a cage, one that had been waiting for them on the floor. "Oh no!" Smurfette said in shock. "Quick let's smurf out the top." Handy said, but when the lid closed, they all looked to their backs to find Gargamel's assistant and nephew, Scruple. The boy was no older than twelve years old, and always wore a light purple tunic and dark blue hat, with a red scarf. "I got em' Gargy." he said. "Nicely done Scruple." Gargamel said, as he and Azrael came out of the closet. "Gargamel you mean old wizard, let us go!" Smurfette demanded. "I think not my deer," he said in as much pleasantness as he dared, "In a few moments we'll have a Smurf feast." he added harshly as he rubbed his hands together and laughed maniacally. As he kept laughing, the other two joined in and laughed along.

Sam crept through the forest, tracking the Smurfs as he went. Thanks to the thickness of the trees, the forest was nearly encased in shadows at this time of day. He soon found himself exiting the barrier and entering a clear area with a small boot shaped stone hobble in the middle of some barren ground. To his dismay the sun still shone and covered the land between the house and him. Staying in the shadows was becoming more and more difficult for him. Moving further into the forest, he soon came to a pile of small stones. He picked one up, and noticed that the stone, though actually a pebble, fit perfectly into his hand. Tossing it in the air a few time, he remembered, back to his childhood in Japan, specifically a certain game he and the other children would play, a game he learned in England. Sam drew his katana, and moved back to the edge of the forest shadows, grabbing a few pebbles as he passed by. Back at the edge of the forest, h e stepped so that his left side faced the hobble, and placed the few stones he had grabbed before placing all but one on the ground next to him. The one pebble he kept, he tossed into the air, and grabbed the handle of his sword in both hands, brought it around his head, and swung, striking the pebble with the broad side of the blade. Like getting hit with a bat, the stone flew through the air and struck the door of the hobble, making a loud knocking noise.

Gargamel was standing over his pot, waiting for the water to boil when he heard a knock at the door. "Oh, who could that be? Scruple, answer the door." he said. When Scruple did open up the door, he felt a sting on his fore head. Looking down he noticed a pebble as it rolled around after hitting him in the head. Scruple looked back up and noticed a blue glint as something moved behind a tree. "Hey Gargy, I think another Smurf is throwing things at us." the young boy said. Gargamel turned from his stewpot to gaze at him, "Another Smurf you say?" he asked. Gargamel grabbed Azrael and tossed him at his nephew saying, "Don't just stand there, take Azrael and go get him." The cat screeched as he flew through the air and landed, claws first, on Scruple's head, the small boy stumbling backwards out of the door. "Soon you will have your friend joining you." Gargamel said and laughed again. Inside of a minute, Scruple and Azrael came back into the house, without a Smurf. "Well? Where's the Smurf?" Gargamel asked. "Get off our backs, he got away Gargy." Scrupel said in a huff. Azrael meowed in agreement.

Suddenly something dropped from Scruple's scarf, and onto the floor. After that, it moved quickly to become a blur to the old Wizard. "There, a Smurf." he said. The blue blur moved toward the corner, always staying in the shadows as Azrael, Gargamel and Scruple all ganged up on it, trying to corner the thing, only to find it with a dark hood on and blue armor. The three of them lunged for it and the Smurf-like creature jumped over the three of them, causing the three to collide with each other's heads, making a distinctive hollow sound, which Smurfette found amusing. As they all rubbed their heads, the cloaked figure moved like lightning to perch atop the fireplace, away from the light, and lowered his hood. Sam stood their defiantly gazing at the three villains. "Sam! You came to rescue us." Smurfette said. Sam gazed into her eyes and nodded, smiling brightly at her. A groan from Gargamel broke his revere, and Sam focused on his mission, glaring at the Wizard. "You must be Gargamel. The Smurfs have told me so much about you." Sam said as if trying to be pleasant. Gargamel began stuttering slightly, "Ab…be…be…they have?" he asked. Then Sam frowned heavily, and darkened his voice to a menacing tone, "You have my friends in a cage, let them go." and drew his katana. Blacksmith Smurf's eyes brightened at the sight of such a beautiful sword, and he vowed right there and then to duplicate them both someday. Gargamel laughed out loud as well as Azrael and Scruple, "Look at the size of that sword." Scruple said as he pointed at the miniature weapon. Azrael just kept laughing hysterically at the thought of such of a thing. Gargamel tried desperately to breath while laughing, "Or what will you do you pint sized Pipsqueak, poke me to death with your needle?" Sam kept his face as straight as an arrow, showing no emotion, as he lifted his sword high above his head, or as high as he could. "I'll only ask one more time, let the Smurfs go." The three baddies just laughed even harder and the Smurfs looked on curiously, but none more curious or excited as Blacksmith. "Go ahead, I dare you to…" Gargamel said, but was interrupted when Sam's sword lit ablaze and grew to the size and width as Gargamel himself. All eight Smurf gasped in surprise and Blacksmith's eyes shined with an awe and wonder of the spectacle he witnessed.

Gargamel stopped his sentence right there and Scruple and Azrael stopped laughing to look in awe at the power of the sword before them. "Now...now. No need for that," Gargamel stuttered as he bent down to the ground and opened the cage containing the Smurfs. "There you see, uh run along little Smurfs and uh be free." Gargamel said. The eight Smurfs all ran as fast as they could to the door, with Smurfette ducking behind the frame to stay behind and watch as Sam finished his work. "Do me one more thing Gargamel," Sam said. Gargamel worried what that might have been but asked anyway, "What is it?" Sam once again smiled and said, "Run." It seemed as if Gargamel's feet couldn't move fast enough for himself, "You don't have to tell me twice." he shouted as he, Azrael and Scruple all ran out the door and away from the house all at the same time. Sam doused the light from his swords and put it away. Climbing down from the fireplace the other Smurfs all walked calmly back into Gargamel's place, this time willingly. "I didn't know you could do that." Smurfette said to Sam. Looking up from the shadows, Sam smiled and said, "I'm glad that bluff worked." All eight of the Smurfs went silent, each dropping their jaws in their own way. "Bluff?" Papa asked in complete surprise. Sam looked at the Smurfs quizzically, "Yah, It was too spread out to do anything more than sunburn him." he explained. "Huh?" Smurfette asked. "Usually when I use the light, it's all my light condensed into the blade. This time I spread it out to look more dangerous to someone his size, but its power was too spread out to do any real damage to him." he said smiling, then added, "Well the sun's gone down, I say we head home."

**End of the chapter.**


	15. Oops I Smurfed it Again

**Oops, I Smurfed It Again – **

Back at the village, the sun had set. Papa and Clumsy were talking in Papa's lab, not much could be heard about what Papa was saying to the clumsy little Smurf, but lots of things were being said outside. "I do hope Papa Smurf goes easy on him." Vanity said in worry. "So do I." Brainy agreed. "I'd hate to see Clumsy cry." Grouchy said in his usual tone as he held onto a small baby smurf in a white one piece outfit. "Daboobo gaga." the baby said. "I heard he did it on purpose, and was working for the Minotaur the entire time. Any truth to that?" asked a Smurf wearing a green visor and holding a quill and note pad. Brainy turned to the Smurf with a fire in his eyes, "Absasmurfly not Reporter Smurf, he would never endanger us like that on purpose. He and I are best friends, and he likes to help everyone. Yes, he may be very clumsy, but he'd never smurf anyone one purposely." he nearly shouted. Reporter Smurf slowly backed up, realizing he had hit a 'button' he probably shouldn't have. "Well this front page article should help clear up that controversy." he nervously said as he wrote down every word that brainy said. "It had better be on the front page." Brainy said angrily. Reporter turned and ran as fast as he could, weather it was to get away from the angry Brainy or to go publish his article was anyone's guess. "Gee Brainy, I've never seen you defend Clumsy like that, I'm absasmurfly proud of you." Handy said as he came close. "If it were a lesser situation, I probably would have stayed smurfed. But I just couldn't at a time like this." Suddenly Papa's door opened up and Clumsy walked out slowly with his head down, and Papa close behind. "Oh Clumsy, are you alright?" Smurfette asked. Clumsy looked up slowly to see her and Sam standing next to each other, both with a look of worry. Clumsy tried smiling but it didn't last but a few seconds. "I feel terrible, it was my fault the barrier smurfed down." he finally said. Sam placed his hand on Clumsy's shoulder and said, "You didn't do it on purpose. So we forgive you, and now you'll be more careful around the bridge right?" Clumsy weekly smiled at Sam before saying, "I sure hope so."

Gargamel, Azrael and Scruple stopped running as they rested against a tree breathing heavily, "Is he gone?" Scruple asked. Azrael turned his head to see if the little man had followed them, "Rew errr." he meowed, letting them know that the coast was clear. Gargamel leaned back first against the tree he was next to. "DOOOO," he grumbled, "To think, a great wizard like me, thwarted all month by a stupid invisible barrier and a Smurf sized man with a sword of…" he suddenly found himself thinking about what he saw, "Scruple, Azrael, do you realize what that little guy had in his possession?" he asked his friends. "Uh…" Scruple said as he looked in Azrael's direction. Azrael in turn looked to Scruple for the answer. "It was the Legendary Sword of Light!" Gargamel announced. "I thought that was a myth." Scruple said in surprise. Gargamel smiled from ear to ear, "I thought it was to, but it's real Scruple, it's real." he said in a celebratory tone. "If I had that sword, I could cut through this entire forest in a single swing." he continued maniacally. "But Gargy, how do we get past the barrier to get to the sword?" Scruple asked. Gargamel placed his hand to his chin in thought, "Hm, you have a point there." he admitted. "He, he, he. Such a waist of good magic." he heard from his right. Gargamel whipped around to face the person only to find what looked to be a shadow of a smurf standing on a stump just a few yards away. Looking closely at the figure, he seemed to recognize the shape, "Papa Smurf? What are you doing here? Come to gloat?" the wizard asked. The dark Smurf smiled almost wickedly, "I am Papa, but not the Papa you know, and I still say you're a sorry excuse for a wizard." "What? Why you…" Gargamel threatened, and charged at the strange creature, only to run into the Barrier just inches from his target. "Like I said, waist of magic." the darkened Smurf said before turning around. Azrael, now scared out of his wits, hid behind Scruple. Noticing this strange behavior in the cat and the Smurf, it wasn't long until he put two and two together. "You're not a real Smurf are you?" he asked. The dark creature turned back around to say, "Congratulations, you figured it out with only two hints. Only the cat is smarter than you."

"Not a Smurf? Then what are you?" Gargamel asked in shock as he stood back up. As soon as he asked that question, hundreds of other little creatures like this counterfeit Papa Smurf, came out of the wood works. Half in the barrier and half out, each holding a weapon there size. "We are the shadows of the Smurfs, made from the Ax of Shadows, sealed away so long ago by the guardian of light." one of them said. "Ax of Shadows?" Scruple repeated. "I've never heard of it!" Gargamel announced as he rejoined he nephew and cat. The only thing the Shadow Papa did was smirk and turn his head to leave. "Let them bleed to death." he ordered. Gargamel immediately looked to the Shadow Smurfs outside of the Barrier, and saw a murderous glint in their eyes. He quickly took off, running as fast as he could away from them, followed closely by Scruple holding Azrael in his arms. The army of Shadow Smurfs charged in and chased the three of them. Shadow Papa, kept the grin on his face the whole time, "Now we head to the Village." he said with darkness in his tone.

With everyone asleep, Sam had his opportunity to practice. Slowly at first, he swung his swords with precision, making precise sharp movements. It wasn't long before his quick sharp movements smoothed out into a sort of dance, a midnight serenade. Both swords in hand, the katana in his right and the Wakizashi in his left, he continued to dance, getting faster and smother as he went. Closing his eyes, Sam listened to the invisible music that his blades made as they cut through the air. He didn't notice a single light on across the way, Smurfette was watching as he danced with his swords. Her pink night gown kept her warm in the cold night air as she imagined herself dancing in his arms and a brilliant white dress, just gazing into each other's eyes. The fantasy sent shivers up her spine when she tried imagining him as a real smurf. His outfit continuously shifted in her mind, but the one thing that stayed the same was his focused deep blue eyes. Suddenly the image stopped, the Smurf version of Sam wearing a white tuxedo, matching her white dress perfectly. When Sam suddenly stopped in mid step, and stood perfectly still, she not only noticed but found herself instinctively going on high alert, using methods he hammered into her mind to tell her what was happening. Suddenly he turned quickly and the sound of metal against metal could be heard. Smurfette quickly blew out her candle and tucked herself against the edge of her window, peeking out to see if he may need her help. She could barely see what he was fighting, but her instincts told her he was fighting for his life. Then she saw them, shadow images of the Smurfs, armed with swords and shields and any other weapon you could find. Remaining barefoot, Smurfette quietly slipped out the window of her hut and silently crept to the square, when she reached it, she ran as fast as she could toward Handy's alarm system, and pulled the bell rope. When the bell rang loudly, the lights in the Smurf's houses all went on, "Great Smurfs, what's going on?" Papa asked as he poked his head outside his window. "SHADOW SMURFS!" Smurfette screamed and pointed to the war Sam was waging with the dark creations.

Sam sliced through three Shadow Smurfs at once, with his katana and each of them burst into shadowy mist, before he noticed several of them dart passed him to attack his friends the Smurfs. Before he could give chase, a Shadow with a Club moved in front of him, as if trying to keep him busy. The Shadow Smurf reminded him of Clumsy with the loose fit cloths and hat. He watched and waited as the Shadow Smurf lifted the club and brought it down to collide with his head, Sam however had other plans. Waiting until the last possible second, Sam lifted his left foot barely off of the ground and swiveled his body so that the club harmlessly fell to the ground in front of him. The same second that the weapon hit ground, Sam plunged his Wakizashi through the Shadow's heart, and the creature popped into a shroud of shadows before dispersing into nothing. Almost immediately, he was attacked by more Shadow Smurfs, and held at bay. Fighting each of them off was no easy task, and he found himself tiring from the quick powerful movements he was forced to make. Taking three out simultaneously, he noticed a Smurf standing there on a nearby hill that looked surprisingly like Papa Smurf.

Smurfette dodged left, then right keeping herself from being killed by the Shadow Smurf wielding a black katana. Dodging again to the right, she found herself again using an instinct that Sam had taught her, she studied her opponent's movements and quickly found several weak spots in his style. She also realized, however that she was without a sword. Stepping backwards, she bumped into another person, and looking behind her she saw a Shadow version of Brainy. 'Oh this is a smurfy situation.' she thought to herself, and ducked the moment the two attacked her. The two ended up attacking each other, but instead of slicing through, the weapons simply bounced off of each other, like bokkens during practice. When the two shook off the pain, they once again turned to her, as if drawn by a need to destroy her.

Sam sliced through the final Shadow Smurf in his way, and gazed at the battle field. He found Papa being held up at the collar by a Shadow of what he assumed was Hefty, and Smurfette was being teamed up on by Brainy's Shadow and another Smurf's Shadow. He also saw the Smurflings being surrounded by Shadow Smurfs, each with different weapons, and other random Smurfs were being chased across his vision, and Handy was facing his Shadow using a hammer, and loosing. Turning around, he saw the Shadow Papa smirk, enjoying the thrill of watching the others get destroyed. Grouchy ran up to him with Baby Smurf in his arms and said, "I hate being attacked. What do we do?" Sam thought about it a second, and hesitatingly said, "I…I don't…" then an idea hit him. "Get behind me." he said. Grouchy wasted no time in doing just that, he carried Baby and ran towards Sam just as a Shadow Smurf swung his sword and missed. "I hate wars." Grouchy said to baby in a worried tone. Baby simply cooed in agreement. Suddenly Sam shouted, "EVERY SMURF, HIT THE GROUND!" and like with Gargamel, he lifted his swords high above his head before letting the light spread about as high as Gargamel was tall. Without missing a step, he swung the massive beams of light and swept them across the village meeting in the middle. The Smurfs all crouched to the ground as the light passed over them, and watched as the Shadows burst into a black mist and disappeared. First he put the light away, and then collapsed to the grass exhausted. Laying his swords on the ground, Sam began to breathe deeply as he sweat up a storm. Grouchy could not believe his eyes; the power of those swords was phenomenal. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted one last Shadow Smurf, Shadow Papa, as he disappeared into the forest. Before he could even attempt to give chase, he heard the real Papa Smurf yell, "What have you done?"

**End of the chapter.**


	16. I'm Your Smurfy Butterfly

**I'm your Smurfy Butterfly – **

"What have you done" Papa shouted again. Sam continued breathing hard trying to get his breath back, "[Huff] Huh? [Heev}"

"The entire village is destroyed, and you could have hurt some smurf." Papa huffed. Sam, still gasping for air, took a look at the village, houses were either burned to the ground or missing their roofs, even some of Farmer Smurf's fields were in rough shape. Gazing towards the crowd, he noticed several of the Smurfs were holding one of their arms, or chest and others had either soot or burns on their cheeks, he couldn't tell which it was. "[Huff] I'm [Heev] Sorry." the human said trying his best to hope for Papa's forgiveness. "I want you to leave the village as soon as you can smurf." Papa said suddenly. Smurfette gasped is shock and just before crying, buried her face in her hands. "It's for the safety of all my little Smurfs." Papa explained with a sad face. Sam tried to steady his breathing the best he could, taking gulps of air to steady his lungs. "I understand." he said, and slowly stood to his feet. As soon as he got to his feet, he slowly made the journey to his smurf house and Smurfette took off towards her own house crying. "But Papa Smurf, he just saved us all, how can you just smurf him out like that?" Brainy asked as he came to Papa's side. Papa turned to the bespectacled Smurf with what could only be described as sorrow on his face, "It was the smurfier of two smurfs Brainy." he said. Brainy stood their thinking about what Papa had just said, then he looked to where Smurfette had ran off, "For once Papa Smurf, I do not agree with you." was all he said before he walked away. Papa was surprised at that, and watched as Brainy Smurf left his side. He turned back when he heard Grouchy say, "I hate 'the Smurfier of two Smurfs'." and walk away with an even angrier scowl on his face than usual and a tear in his eye, Baby Smurf still cradled in his arms.

Papa turned to the other Smurfs, who all had angry glares on their faces, each walking away to go back to sleep, shaking their heads. Papa decided he needed his rest as well, and traversed to what was left of his house. "Let's hope this all smurfs over in the morning." he said to himself. Only seconds after Papa had shut the remains of his door did Sam emerge from his hut, his armor now covering him with his swords at his left hip, his hooded cloak draped across his shoulders and a bag of supplies thrown over his left shoulder, "Farewell Smurfs. Have a happy…smurfy life." he whispered to the village. A tear let itself fall as he turned away from what had been his new, yet brief home and he walked into the night of the forest.

Morning arose in the Smurf Village, and Papa stretched his muscles to great the day. After fully awakening, he looked around to get a better look at the damage that was done. To his surprise he could find nothing out of place, save for the door was off of its hinge and the roof was half gone. "Smurf is me. I thought it would be worse than this." he said as he placed his feet upon the floor. He almost immediately heard a knock at the door and it finally collapsed. Standing there with a shock and embarrassed expression was Handy, Hefty and Brainy Smurfs. "What brings you three Smurfs here?" Papa asked. Brainy shook his head and was the first to recover from his embarrassment. "Uh…Papa Smurf, we were wondering if you would talk to Sam and resmurf your orders." he said. Handy jumped in saying, "Yah, it would be really smurfy if he could stay, why he's practically a Smurf," then turning to Brainy he said, "I told you it would fall." Papa smiled at how his little Smurfs were trying to convince him to let the human stay, and he just had to agree with them, "Yes, yes my little Smurfs, I was actually on my way to tell him that very thing." he said with the world's biggest smile on his face. Instead of hearing just three cheers of rejoice, he practically heard the entire village shout, "HURRAY!"

"Eh, he, he, he. Blacksmith, why don't you go and tell Smurfette the smurfy news?" Papa said. "On it Papa Smurf." the newest Smurf said, and turned to go deliver his message. Papa made his way through the crowd of Smurfs up to Sam's hut and knocked on the door, "Eh, Sam may I talk to you?" Papa asked, but got no reply. 'He couldn't have packed and left that quickly, could he?' was one of Papa's thoughts, and that worried him, "Sam, smurf to the shadows, I'm coming in." he said and slowly opened the door. Peering in, Papa Smurf looked around for the human he sought, through the dim light that seeped through, he could see that everything that Sam had, was gone. Papa instantly threw the door open, in hopes that the light would help him see. "Sam?" he called out, then he looked to the left of the hut, "Sam?" he repeated, and looked to the right hopping to find something different, "SAM?" he called out even louder, only to come up empty. "Oh no, he didn't!" Papa said. He suddenly heard Blacksmith as the Smurf ran up to see Papa. "PAPA SMURF, PAPA SMURF!" he called out, "SMURFETTE IS GONE!"

"Great Smurfs!" Papa said, surprised by the news, "She must have smurfed off in the middle of the night to go follow Sam. Quickly my little Smurfs, search everywhere inside the barrier, spread out and find Sam and Smurfette." he called out, then turning to the Smurflings he said, "You Smurflings come with me." and took off with them following close behind. "Remember, no smurf leaves the barrier because Papa Smurf said so and what Papa Smurf says…" ranted Brainy Smurf, when he opened his eyes, he found himself alone and the other Smurfs spreading out in all directions, "Hey, wait for me!" he called out as he chased after his best friend, Clumsy Smurf.

Sam traveled through the shadows of the woods, thankful that the forest was so dense the sun couldn't break through very easily. Walking through the tall grass and weeds enjoying being out during the day but still wishing he could feel the sun on his skin. As if he heard something, he stopped, turned around and drew his Katana with his free right hand. "Come on out, I know you're there." he said as he pointed the tip at what he heard. He watched as a puff of blond hair peeked out from behind a tree, followed my blue skin, a white hat and beautiful blue eyes. "Smurfette?" he asked as he lowered the tip of his sword in surprise. "Hi." she replied. Putting his sword back into its scabbard, he asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to help." she told him. He huffed and turned around to scoff, "I need no help." he said, hoping she would just turn around and go back to the village. "Even so, I still want to stay by your smurf." she said. Sam's eyes shot open wide with surprise, "Why?" he asked, "Why would you want to be with me? I have no home and no money, the only way I can help you survive may be to go out and kill something. Why stay with a dishonored samurai?" he asked quickly and forcefully. "Because I smurf you Sam, I smurf you with all my heart." she said honestly. Sam wanted to believe she said something different than what he knew she said. He wanted the word 'smurf' to mean 'hate' or 'despise', but his heart wouldn't let him believe anything except 'love', and he knew that that was what she said. He ran a bluff through his head, he would lie to her, tell her he hated her and used her to get free room and board, she would cry and run back home. Instead he sighed and said, "The choice is yours, Smurfette." She smiled brightly, and began walking towards him to be there by his side. "Just because I allow it, doesn't mean I agree with it." he said suddenly letting her know his thoughts. "Then you shouldn't have smurfed off." she said coyly. He turned back to the road he was taking, just mere feet from the barrier, and said, "There may be no turning back."

"I understand." she said softly. "You have no defense." he tried once more to get her to leave and go home, instead she walked right past him on his left side and grabbed his Wakizashi from off of his belt. "I do now." she said laughingly. Sam couldn't believe his eyes, and after his shock he grumpily looked to the ground and quietly said, "Smurf!" Smurfette turned to him and said with a kind of disgusted shock, "What was that?" Quickly he stiffened his back looked her straight in the eyes and said, "I said uh…smurf!" Smurfette relaxed and said, "Oh, I thought you said something else." and turned to exit the barrier. Sam turned his eyes to the ground again, pinched the bridge of his nose using his first two fingers and his thumb and then shook his head, "I think I get a handle on it, then it just gets up and walks away from me." he moaned in frustration, referring to the Smurfs way of speaking. "Shall we?" he heard Smurfette ask and he looked up to see her smiling at him. Nodding in her direction, he smiled in return and said, "Yes, let's." and exited the barrier with Smurfette at his side, walking hand in hand.

**End of the chapter.**

**It's a Smurf Moon – **


	17. Extaordinary Smurf

**Extraordinary Smurf – **

Papa Smurf slumped deeply in his chair, three days of searching, and now he was certain Smurfette and Sam had left the barrier, and he felt it was his entire fault. Leaning back and slouching in depression, he almost didn't hear the door as it opened up to let the four Smurflings in. "Papa Smurf?" Sassette called out. Papa jumped at the sound of her voice and put on a fake smile, "Sassette what a pleasant surprise." he said, trying to cover up his depression. "You miss them too huh?" she said as she and the other Smurflings made their way to him. Papa sighed and slumped his shoulders; he knew when he was beaten. "Yes Sassette, I do. I also feel like I'm responsible for it all." he said. Sassette wrapped her tiny arms around him and said, "It's ok, we know you were just trying to keep us safe, every one smurfs a mistake once in a while." As she looked up at him, Papa just couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride for how she was trying to cheer him up now. "Yah, yah. We'll find them and smurf them both home." Snappy said as he pumped his fist. "I can ask the animals if they've seen them." Nat suggested. Slouchy was literally shivering with excitement, "Oh I can't wait." he said. Sassette turned back to Papa and said, "See Pappy, we'll all help." Papa Smurf let his doubts and depressions fade as he saw how grown up the little Smurflings were being. He couldn't help but to smile. "Thank you my little Smurflings." he said. Sassette put her hand to her lip in thought, and then asked, "Do I have to go near the barrier again?" with pure curiousness instead of fear. Papa laughed before saying, "Only if you want to."

Smurfette walked briskly, trying to remain out of sight. She had been training like this for three days, even though she really didn't have to. She kept to the shadows of the trees, attempting not to alarm anything, or touch the sunlight. Smiling to herself as she neared her destination in her success, a smurfberry bush. She picked a few berries and placed them in her dress before she suddenly heard a familiar sound, "I can't run anymore Gargy." the child like voice said. Smurfette let go of the front of her dress, dropping the few Smurfberries she had gathered before she silently parted a bush. She saw Gargamel, Azrael, and Scruple all bent over on their knees in the grass of a clearing gasping for air. The three of them were bathed in the sun's rays and surrounded by tree shadows filled with smiling Shadow Smurfs. "If…if we don't…keep going…we'll all be…killed." Gargamel gasped as he tried to fill his lings. 'Gargamel survived this long on the run?' she thought to herself, and let the bush silently close. Quickly she darted to the nearest tree, using her training to its fullest advantage, and quickly drew her sword, the Wakizashi she took from Sam. The Shadow Smurf closest to her heard the noise of her sword being drawn, and turned to look at where it was coming from. When he saw nothing, he tuned completely around and decided to investigate. Smurfette backed up against the trunk of the tree, completely not expecting him to come to her, and nearly panicked when she came up without a plan. The Shadow Smurf closed in on the tree, Smurfette steeled her nerves and slid more to the opposite side of the trunk, as the Shadow Smurf turned the corner and disappeared from the sight of the others Smurfette silently struck, slicing her blade across the mouth region, effectively silencing him as he dissipated into the dark mist.

Now that she didn't have to worry about getting spotted, she resumed her position, observing them. 'Gargamel has smurfed us so many times, I almost don't feel sorry for him.' she thought to herself as she watched them gain their breath. Then she remembered when Hefty rescued Sam, 'If I didn't at lease try to save him, it would have been like I killed him myself.' Smurfette turned on her heels and took off towards where she had left Sam again trying to stay as quiet as she could. As she passed by the bush, she bent down, snatching a few Smurfberries from the ground as she ran, "I'd better hurry or they'll be killed before I get there." she whispered to herself.

About twenty minutes later, she found the cave entrance where Sam had been hold up. She crept up to the opening assuming that he was asleep, "Welcome back Smurfette." he said as she entered the cave. "How are you smurfing Sam?" she asked. Sam stretched his arms out to his sides and grunted in relief, "Better now that I've had some sleep. What's up?"

"Gargamel is in real trouble, an army of Shadow Smurfs have him surrounded. It's smurfy that he took a rest in the sun, but once it's gone…"she dared to not express the outcome, instead she just shivered. Sam nodded and turned to the opening of the cave. It was still covered in sunlight, and he noticed a shadow creeping up nearby, a shadow that led to the forest where he knew she had come from. "Right, that shadow will cover the entrance in about ten or fifteen minutes, till then I suggest we eat and rest to regain our strength. We'll need it." he suggested. Smurfette simply nodded and shifted to the side where they kept what food they had and spread out what smurfberries she had gathered. 'Who knew that Sam was a vegetarian?' she thought to herself as she watched him eat nothing but fruit and vegetables for the third day strait.

Papa Smurf wandered around the village, wondering just what he could do to help find his lost friend and his lost Smurfette. His mind had been wandering almost as much as he had, until Handy tapped him on his shoulder, "Papa Smurf, have you seen Clumsy and Brainy anywhere?" he asked. Papa thought for only a second, "No Handy I haven't, why?" he asked. "I know I should feel smurfy about this, but nothing's been broken all day, and Brainy hasn't smurfed by to argue about any of my inventions." Handy said in worry. "You're right, that is strange." Papa said. Narrowing his eyes, he gave Handy an order, "Gather all the Smurfs, if those two smurfed what I think they did, they'll be in for it when they get back." he said sternly. "Wh…what do you mean Papa Smurf?" Handy asked. "No time for questions Handy, just smurf to it." he responded, and Handy turned around to do exactly what papa had told him to do, gather all the remaining Smurfs.

Sam and Smurfette creped through the forest in the direction Smurfette remembered Gargamel being. After parting the same bush, Sam and Smurfette, Saw Gargamel, Azrael and Scruple closer to them and staying inside the light. "Looks like they figured it out, but that trick only lasts until the sun goes down." Sam whispered, Smurfette silently nodded to him agreeing completely. "We need to move quickly, try not to draw attention to yourself for as long as possible." he said, and took off for the far side of the army. Smurfette steeled her nerves, and quietly moved in to a closer position. Quietly one at a time the Shadow Smurfs on the far end of her began disappearing either being pulled into bushes or behind trees, some were even slain out in the open. She decided to move quickly, taking out her first Shadow Smurf. She dashed out towards the one near the back, and collided with him, covering his mouth and dragging him into a nearby bush. She quickly drew her Wakizashi and plunged the blade straight through him, dissolving the fiend. Turning back to look through the leaves, she saw another Shadow Smurf investigating, and as he neared her, she reached out and grabbed him by the nose and pulled him into the bush, slaying him instantly using her sword. It was then that several others turned to her bush, and drew whatever weapons they had, be it a sword or a spear. 'Oh smurf.' Smurfette thought to herself as the battalion slowly advanced.

They stopped only inches from plunging their weapons into her hiding spot when everyone heard a loud angry battle cry, and Shadow Smurfs began dropping like flies right before their eyes. Smurfette took the opportunity while they were turned around, to launch her own full scale assault, jumping out of the bush and charging through the crowd of Shadow Smurfs, slashing at every one she passed by and skidding to a halt on the heels of her worn pumps. In the few seconds it took for her to finish her strike, they all burst into the shadowy mist they were made from. "It's the guardian and his apprentice, get them!" one of the Shadow Smurfs called out, and the war began. Smurfette made a quick swipe across a Shadow Smurf wielding a long handled ax, and then quickly flipped her sword around and plunged it tip first into the next approaching one. It was like she was dancing with a sword in her hands, the fluid precise strikes and smooth motions, she came back and split another shadow in half and brought her sword back to split the next one the same way. She suddenly felt a sharp pain strike her arm, gazing at the spot she felt it, she saw a small cut in her exposed skin. No blood spilled from the wound, it was too shallow, but it still hurt. Looking up to her side, the side of the wound, she saw what looked like a Shadow of Papa Smurf hosing a short handled battle ax and smiling wickedly. Smurfette turned around with nothing but a battle cry and locked her sword with his ax.

"Is this really what the guardian had in mind when he chose his apprentice? How pathetic!" Shadow Papa said to her. Smurfette remained silent as she pushed against him even harder against him, pushing him back, sliding against the dirt. "What? How can this be?" he asked himself as she continued to overpower him. Giving a mighty shove, Smurfette actually lifted Shadow Papa off of the ground and flung him back two full feet, onto his hind side. He quickly rose to his feet and shouted, "RETREAT, EVERYONE FALL BACK AND REGROUP!" Then turning back to Smurfette, he spoke menacingly as she tried to catch her breath, "This isn't over, I'll prove how weak you are next time." and almost disappeared in the shadows of the trees, all the remaining twenty Shadow Smurfs followed soon after.

**End of the Chapter.**


	18. The Super Smurf Bros

**The Super Smurf Bros – **

Brainy and Clumsy flew through the air heading towards the setting sun, riding on the back of a white stork with black wing tips. "Uh, gosh Brainy, what exactly are we doing out here?" Clumsy asked. "You are going to find Sam and Smurfette and then smurf them home." Brainy said, his eyes told Clumsy that he was focused, and for the first time he was focused on someone other than himself. "But why me?" Clumsy asked. Brainy turned to his friend and said, "Because some Smurfs still believe those silly rumors about you aiding the Shadow Smurfs, and this way will clear your smurf, guarantied." Clumsy still felt the sting of mistrust amongst some of the smurfs, he knew what he did caused some of his fellow Smurfs pain and nearly got everyone killed, but he also tried desperately to apologize for it. Brainy turned his head to scour the aria for his targets, he would help Clumsy if it was the last thing he did, 'Cause that's what best friends do for each other.' he told himself.

Gargamel, Azrael and Scruple all stood there is shock, never had they seen such skill or power applied in a battle, "HEY! You ok Gargamel?" Sam shouted, staying well inside the shadows of the forest. The bumbling wizard, shook his head in order to relive the surprise, and answered, "Ebda, yes…yes I am. Many thanks to you wondering Smurf." he said, assuming the voice belonged to the…whatever it was that held the swords of light. Sam looked to him, "I'm not a Smurf, I'm a human." he said. The three of them went right back into surprise, "That can't be right, you're only three apples high." Scruple said in disbelief. "Ever heard of a curse?" Sam said sarcastically. Gargamel turned to Scruple angrily, "Doooo, that was the first thing I taught you." he said. "Go home!" Sam said interrupting their spat. "Huh?" Gargamel asked as he turned to the shadows. Sam repeated himself, "Go home, and stay in the light."

"B…but it will take all night just to find my way." the wizard complained. "Use Azrael's nose. He can smell where it is, I know I can." Sam said, and pinched his nose between his first finger and thumb. Azrael only agreed by plugging his own nose and meowing his approval. Smurfette giggled silently, finding that comment funny. "Not funny, you…you…you pint sized pack rat." Gargamel said, "If that's all you got then this is no contest, I'm out of here." Sam said as he and turned to leave the villains behind. "Hmph, no matter what you do, I'll never say 'thank you'!" Gargamel shouted making sure the 'thank you' was louder than the rest of his sentence. Smurfette turned her head as they two of them walked away, "That nasty old Gargamel." she said in anger. "You mustn't judge him like that Smurfette." Sam said to her. This got her attention and she turned her head to look at him, "Didn't you notice the difference in tone when he said 'Thank you'? It was the first part that was a lie. That's just his way of saying he's grateful." he told her. Smurfette turned back to look in Gargamel's direction, "Oh!" was all she could say, but she still doubted that Sam was right.

As soon as all the Smurfs in the village were gathered together, Papa stood on his mushroom to count the heads. He never once saw Brainy or Clumsy, and that worried him. "This isn't good, I bet Brainy took Clumsy to look for Sam and Smurfette." he said. "Papa Smurf, this was left in Clumsy's hut." Handy said as he presented a piece of paper with a note written on it. Papa Smurf looked it over after taking it, "This is Brainy's hand writing," he whispered to himself and then read the letter out loud, "Dear Smurfs, I am sorry to have caused you so much trouble. I am taking Brainy and Feathers out of the barrier to help me smurf for Sam and Smurfette. Be back before sun down, hopefully with our two friends. Smurfily yours, Clumsy Smurf." The moment he brought the note down from his view, he saw almost half the village, gossiping amongst each other. He heard whispers of Clumsy kidnapping Brainy and others said that Clumsy was going to screw this rescue up badly. Only a few believed that Sam and Smurfette couldn't be found if they didn't want to be. As Papa listened to the whispers of his little Smurfs, he felt a tug on his pants. Looking down, he noticed the Smurflings all grouped together and looking up at him with hope and worry, "Clumsy's coming back right?" Sassette asked. The entire crowd when silent, waiting for Papa's reply, "I'm sure he is." he said. Almost the entire village shouted with joy, "I hate 'YAY'!" Grouchy said. "Wait!" everyone heard. "What about his involvement with the Shadow Smurfs?" said an unknown Smurf. Papa couldn't see who it was, as all the Smurfs began turning their heads to find where the voice came from. "Clumsy had no ties with the Shadow Smurfs!" Hefty shouted. "I hate the Shadow Smurfs." Grouchy said. Everyone agreed with Grouchy's notion. Papa Smurf fanned his hands to try and calm the more than one hundred Smurfs down. "Please settle down my little Smurfs!" he tried to say over the crowd. "Can you prove that?" asked the smurf again. Hefty actually let his anger boil over, "Alright, who's the doubting Smurf?" he said as he placed his right hand on his flexing bicep. Suddenly everyone heard Lazy say, "It's just Pessimistic Smurf is all." and yawn loudly. Every one turned to the regular looking Smurf with down turned eyes and the heat of anger radiating off of him. He opened his eyes wide in shock at being caught and simply gulped before chuckled a little, "I'll smurf-up now!" he said embarrassed.

Clumsy and Brainy scanned the ground for their friends. Brainy sighed, "Clumsy, I'm sorry, but I don't think we'll find them now."

"But we're so close!" Clumsy said. "How in the world would you know that Clumsy Smurf? They could be anywhere!" Brainy said and placed his hands against his face, giving up completely. "Because they're right there." he said and pointed to the ground right in front of them. Brainy looked in the directions Clumsy pointed, only to find Smurfette and Sam as they walked through the shadows towards a stone wall and small cave. "I never once doubted we'd find them Clumsy." Brainy said, "I, Brainy Smurf, knew with my vast intelligence that weEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Apparently Feathers had had quite enough of Brainy's boasting, because he shot strait into a nose dive, for Sam and Smurfette. Sam stopped in his tracks, and looked right at the nose diving bird, "We've got company." he said as he glanced sideways at the approaching fowl. "That's Feathers!" Smurfette told him. "The stork the Smurfs use for travel?" Sam asked. "Yup, and there are Brainy and Clumsy." she said, pointing at Feathers' back. Sam scoffed, and turned back to the cave, "When the land, bring them in please." he said, and disappeared into the dark cave. Smurfette just turned back to the arriving Smurfs, waiting for them to touch down.

"They're here Sam." Smurfette said as she, Brainy and Clumsy entered the cave. "Thank you Smurfette." he said, and turned to his guests. "Lucky break huh?" he asked. Brainy stiffened up, only slightly insulted. "Uh yah, it was." Clumsy said happily. Sam waved his hand at the ground, indicating that they may sit if they wished. Clumsy sat on his knees, the way Sam had taught him to. Brainy on the other hand remained standing, "We're here for a purpose." he said nudging Clumsy in hopes of reminding him. Clumsy turned to Brainy with a questioning look, "Wha… oh yah." Clumsy said and turned back to Sam with realization in his eyes, "We'd like for you to smurf back home with us." Smurfette stiffened up a little, and Sam saw it. Her reaction told him she was homesick, "You may go with them if you wish Smurfette. I'll walk if you don't mind." he said to her. Smurfette turned back to him in surprise, "Sam?" she asked. He nodded and gazed at the ceiling of the cave, "There are still many sights I'd like to see before I return. Still things I'd like to do." he said. "Then I'll smurf along with you." she said simply excited that she was going home with him, even if they were going to walk. "Taking Feathers will be much faster." Brainy said, and Clumsy just had to remind him, "But Brainy, they're going sightseeing remember?" Sam stood up and checked his armor, getting ready to leave. Brainy shook his head at his friend, "Clumsy, Clumsy, Clumsy. They could always go sightseeing, anytime they want. The village is close by many wondrous sights that I, Brainy Smurf, would gladly point out and with my vast intellect, disclose any information that will be necessary, and further more…" he never got to finish his rant, Sam literally kicked the dust at him in irritation. Bringing his leg up behind him as if he were going to kick the Smurf, he simply skid his foot across the ground and swung his leg back, turning his body and walked away. "What was that?" Brainy asked Smurfette. She simply shrugged her shoulders. "That's just something I do when someone irritates me. I developed that habit because my adopted father told me never to lash out in anger. As a Samurai, I am responsible for my actions and this seemed to be a better option than pointing my sword at someone." he said, "Besides, I'd like to actually enjoy my vacation."

**End of the chapter.**


	19. Moonlight Smurfs

**Moonlight Smurf –**

Brainy and Clumsy both climbed onto Feathers' back, getting ready to head home, "You're sure you won't smurf home with us?" Clumsy asked Smurfette. "I'm sure Clumsy, Sam might need my help." she replied. "You're just smurfing for a chance to go on another date with him." Brainy said, in jealousy. Smurfette gave Brainy a disapproving glare, "Smurf it up your nose, Brainy Smurf." she said. "Gosh, hope you get your wish." Clumsy said with nothing but honesty. Smurfette smiled at the kind clueless Smurf and said, "Thank you Clumsy."

"Come on Feathers, let's smurf on home." Brainy said, and the stork spread its wings. With one last look at Smurfette, Feathers lifted into the air, taking Brainy and Clumsy with it. Smurfette waved her goodbyes as the bird flew out of sight, "We should get some sleep. The sun will be gone soon." Sam said as he watched her. In his mind he noticed how her skin shined in the light, and how the sun danced off of her golden strands, even how the light played in her eyes when she turned to him with that smile, the smile that could melt the North Pole. His heart ached to tell her the truth, not that he ever lied to her; he just never told her and always avoided it when it was brought up. 'I wish I could tell you the way you told me.' he said in his mind, 'I love you more every day we travel.'

Papa stood there as Brainy and Clumsy finally got back to the village, "BRAINY!" he growled. Brainy Smurf, gulped and opted to sit on Feathers' back while Clumsy slid down to the grassy floor. "Gosh Papa Smurf, don't be mad. Brainy was just trying to help me out." Clumsy said to Papa. "I know Clumsy," he sighed, then turning back to the cowering Smurf on the stork, "But what gave you this idea?" he said angrily. "Well, you see, there were these rumors about Clumsy, so I…" Brainy began, Papa pinched the bridge of his nose, the same way Sam used to, and sighed, "Never mind Brainy, you and Clumsy just go and smurf up the kitchen, the rest of your punishment will have to wait." Clumsy began walking until Brainy stopped him, "Wait don't you want to hear what we did?" the bespectacled Smurf shouted. Clumsy's eyes brightened as he remembered the good news, "Uh, yah. Sam and Smurfette are on their way here. They're coming home!" he shouted and threw his arms in the air, with excitement. "This is great news, Clumsy. When can we expect them?" Papa asked as his mood lifted. "Sometime during the end of this week, Papa Smurf. They decided to walk together and go sightseeing, which was my idea." Brainy announced. "Your punishment should be completed by the time they arrive then. Smurf to it, we should have this village ready for their return." Papa said as he walked away to give the announcement. "Oh smurf." Brainy said. "Gosh Brainy, I didn't know you talked like that." Clumsy said in surprise. Brainy turned to his friend, "Only when I'm really smurfed, so don't broadcast it ok?" Clumsy simply smiled and nodded his head.

The moon sat high in the sky, giving off a reflected light and soothing the creatures on the ground. Sam traversed the sand with Smurfette by his side, his hand entwined with hers. It felt a little awkward with him having five fingers and her only having four, but they made it work. "Beautiful night isn't it?" he asked her. "It sure is. Absasmurfly gorgeous." she replied. Gazing at the night sky, she almost didn't notice that Sam was looking at her face the whole time. When she did notice, she looked at him, and he blushed, looking down at the sand beneath his shoes. "You know Smurfette, I'm glad you came with me, because, there's something I wanted to tell you." he said as the two of them walked closer to the water. "Yes?" she asked and gave him her full attention. "Well…I…" just before he finished, the two of them heard a female voice call out to Smurfette specifically. The voice was sophisticated in sound, but the tone carried a more care free level, "Smurfette, oh Smurfette, over here!" When they looked to the voice, they saw green mermaid about the size of the Smurfs, with fins for ears and long flowing purple hair, waving at them from on top of a rock. "Marina!" Smurfette exclaimed at the sight of her. Sam clamed up and solemnly followed as Smurfette made her way to her old friend. "How are you smurfing?" she asked. "Fine, I do miss Handy though." Marina said. The mermaid then turned to Sam curiously, "Who's this?" she asked. "This is Sam; he's a human who got cursed to smurf this size forever. He's a samurai from a place called Japan." Smurfette informed her.

"Hi." Sam said and waved to Marina only a little irritated. "What are you doing out here anyway?" Smurfette asked. "Just looking at the stars, remembering Handy." Marina shyly said. "Oh, isn't that romantic?" Smurfette, asked as she turned to Sam and grabbed his arm. "What's keeping her from seeing him every day?" Sam asked. "Mermaids can't live very long out of water, and Smurfs can't breathe under water either." Marina told him. "Why not just move closer to him, ask him to build a house near the docks or something?" "What of my father?" she asked. "Talk to him, let him know your feelings, and give him the idea, he might just go for it just to see his daughter happy." Sam said, trying to help the situation. "You really think it will work?" Marina asked. "It doesn't hurt to smurf." Smurfette told her. "Thank you, thank you both." she said and dove into the water, leaving the two of them alone again. Smurfette and Sam watched a while as Marina swam away, waving to her when she popped up to wave goodbye.

"I believe you were going to tell me something?" Smurfette said as she turned to him. Almost immediately he froze in his tracks, stiffening up like a board. His mind raced with thoughts until, "Aishite imasu." he said. Smurfette tilted her head in confusion, "What?" she asked. "Aishite imasu." he repeated, "It's Japanese."

"What does 'aishite imasu' mean in Smurf?" she asked. Sam almost literally froze in one spot again, slowly and silently he mumbled, "I love you."

"Abooba…what?" she said trying to understand what he just said. Sam took a deep breath, closed his eyes and said out loud, "I love you." and waited for her reaction. At first she simply stood there with a deadpan expression, then she smiled, "I smurf you too Sam." and with a quick heartfelt kiss to his cheek, she blushed and turned away shyly. Sam opened his eyes, and slowly turned so he could face her. With her head turned away from him, he couldn't tell if she was happy or not, but when she turned back to him, he noticed the prominent blush that had spread itself across her cheeks. Her eyes were looking everywhere except him, but soon came to rest upon his own eyes, staring into the blue sea of his soul. The space between them slowly shrank until their lips met in the middle. A fire lit itself in Smurfette's heart, warming her soul with the love he displayed in such a passionate kiss. The kiss itself only lasted a few seconds, but to the two lovers, it felt like an eternity. When they finished, Smurfette placed her head against his chest, and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close to her as he too embraced her with his own arms.

Their silence lasted for a few minutes, but was shattered when they heard what could only be described as whispers, from over a nearby log. The two of them tip toed all the way over to it, and when they looked over it, they saw the Shadow Smurfs, settled around what looked to be an extinguished human campfire, using fallen human bodies as shade from the moon's light. "My fellow Shadow Smurfs, listen to me." they heard Shadow Papa call out. "Tomorrow night, we shall take the Smurf Village, and destroy every single Smurf there is." as he finished, the crowd of maybe fifty or more Shadow Smurfs hurrahed. "Even if our plan of muddying the River Smurf fails, we have our leader with us, the great Minotaur will meet us at the barrier's edge, he will destroy it completely." Shadow Papa spouted. "Muddying the River Smurf? Can they do that?" Sam asked. Smurfette racked her brain for an answer, until one came to her, "They can if they smurf a land slide high up, the mud and dirt will float in the river and be smurfed to the dam, where it will spread throughout the entire village, including under the bridge." she whispered, apparently too loud because Shadow Papa looked right at them, "Oops." she said. "Get them!" the Shadow Smurf leader called out. Sam wasted no time getting to his feet, and grabbing Smurfette by the hand, hauling her to her feet. Sam immediately turned and ran in the direction of the Smurf Village, taking the shortest route he knew of to get there. 'We're going to have to run all night and day to make it there in time to warn the Smurfs. At least it will all be in the shade of the thick forest.' he thought.

**end of the chapter.**


	20. Last Smurf Standing

**Last Smurf Standing –**

They never once stopped, Sam wouldn't let them. Every time she fell, he would help her up and the two would begin running again. She had never run so much in her life, but she knew she had to keep up with him, now that the Shadow Smurfs were close behind them. "Keep running Smurfette. It's our only chance to warn the Smurfs!" he told her as they continued to make their way through the dense forest, avoiding the sun at all cost. The threads of sunshine peeking through the canopy were the only way she knew how long she had been running at all. "How much further do you think it is?" she asked. "We'll probably get there about an hour before sunrise tomorrow, but only if we keep running!" he told her. When she tripped again, she actually let go of his hand and just sat there gasping for air, "I can't run anymore!" she admitted. "We have to!" he said as he reached her. "Go, warn the Smurfs." she ordered him. Sam looked up to see the Shadow Smurfs closing in on him and Smurfette, "Get on my back!" he quickly said. "What?" she asked. "Just get on." he ordered as he turned his back to her, still kneeling. Smurfette wrapped her arms around his neck and he scooted her legs so that he could put his arms around her knees and lifted her up. He pushed off with his legs to get a burst of speed, right before a Shadow Smurfs spear landed where he was standing.

Smurfette barely noticed as the world passed by her, the fatigue was setting in and her eyes wouldn't stay open and she soon found herself drifting into her dreams. "Sleep well Smurfette." Sam whispered to her.

Papa Smurf smiled as he watched the Smurflings as they played Smurf Samurai again. It seemed as if Sassette was getting better than the boys, but then Snappy would pull something cleaver and it was like Sassette had to start over again. He wasn't thrilled by the fact that this game taught them to fight with weapons, but he agreed, it did look like fun. "Smurfaloolo," he heard from around the corner, the old voice belonged to an old Smurf, older even then Papa. His beard dragged the ground and he wore worn out yellow Smurf cloths with a walking stick in his right hand. "It sure is quiet around here."

"Hello Grandpa Smurf, what brings you here?" Papa asked the old Smurf. "I finally heard those sticks smurfing against each other. What are they smurfing?" Grandpa asked. "It's a game they made up called Smurf Samurai. Sam was teaching them to smurf swords like he does." Papa explained. "I found it!" they all heard, and Brainy came running towards Papa as fast as he could with a strange thin red smurf book in his hands. "Papa Smurf I know where Lady Light lives." he said completely out of breath. "You do?" Papa asked surprised. Brainy quickly opened the book in his hands and flipped to a certain page. Papa read the title as Brainy searched his book, it read 'Smurfy Legends and Fairytales for Smurflings'. "Fairytales?" Papa questioned looking to Grandpa for even the hint of an answer. "Here it is!" Brainy announced, and read the story out loud. As he read all the Smurfs who could hear gathered around to listen for once.

"Let the sun guide your path to the promised light, and the lady shall wait high in the mountains for the one who seeks her aid. Waiting for the protector to set her free." with that he looked to Papa Smurf. "Eh, what are you smurfing about Brainy, that's just an old Smurftale I read to you as a Smurfling." Papa told him. Grandpa decided to correct the sentence, "At least part of it."

"Don't you see Papa Smurf, it tells us exactly where Lady Light lives, the mountains where the sun sets, Spire Peek." All the others gasped at Brainy's deduction. "Why that's ridiculous Brainy! Spire Peek is a very un-smurfy place. No human or Smurf can climb it." Grandpa said. "The mountain Sam described was shaped exactly like Spire Peek Papa, and he found the Light Guardian's swords there." Brainy reminded him. Papa placed his hand to his chin, ruffling his beard, "By Smurf you're right, and the mountain Sam climbed is to our East. Spire Peek is to our West, the story could have been smurfing the Guardian directions to the whereabouts of his charge."

"Brainy how did you find that?" Handy asked. Hefty decided on a deferent question, "Yah, where did he get that old book?" Brainy suddenly began stammering in embarrassment. "I…uh…that is…"

"He kept it, because Brainy likes books. He's smart that way, aren't you Brainy?" Clumsy answered for him. "Uh…Yes…Thank you Clumsy, I was just about to say that very thing." Brainy said getting his ego back. "Oh great, just what brainy needs, an ego boost." Tailor whispered to Blacksmith. Then looked at Blacksmith's hands, and saw him holding a beautiful pair of swords. "What you got there?" Tailor asked. Blacksmith Smurf held the weapons up for him to see, the Katana and Wakizashi looked similar to the swords of light Sam possessed, except they were a blue-ish metal and the handles were wrapped with a smurf ribbon that hung down almost the length of the Wakizashi blade. "I smurfed them for Smurfette so she doesn't have to be weaponless anymore. I just wish I knew how to smurf them with the light." he whispered and gazed to the sky, "I just wish she and Sam were here so I could present them to her."

'Gotta keep moving.' Sam kept telling himself as he ran, still with a sleeping Smurfette on his back. His movements were smooth as silk, and quick as lightning, making sure he didn't wake her up, but still moved as fast as he could away from the shadows that wanted to kill them. He knew the sun was setting thanks to the orange glow seeping through the trees, even when he avoided the light. By now he could feel his muscled crying out for him to stop, but he continued to push himself, 'I won't stop until Smurfette is safe, at least that promise I can keep.' he told himself. Hours after the sun went down, he felt himself enter the barrier, but even then he didn't stop, he ran all the way until he reached Smurfette's house, crossing Papa Smurf along the way. "Great Smurfs," Papa exclaimed as Sam literally blew right by him. "What's the hurry?" he asked as he followed the best he could. Sam didn't even talk to him, not until he entered Smurfette's house to place her in her bed. With a single last glance, he silently bid her farewell, removed the Wakizashi from her waist, and pulled the covers up to her neck. "Sam, please stop and tell me what…"Papa tried to say as he met the human outside of Smurfette's door, but Sam placed his hands on Papa's shoulders, effectively silencing him. "Shadow Smurfs…[heave] coming!" was all he got out as he continued to breath hard. "Let us help!" Papa asked as Sam turned away from him. "No time…[puff]…only I…[Gasp] can hurt them." he told Papa, and ran towards the dam, "I will keep my promise." he said calmly and again took off like a rocket. "But the barrier will keep us smurfy!" he called after the human.

Multiple lights came on and Smurfs opened their windows to see what the commotion was, all except Smurfette. "What's going on Papa?" Hefty asked. "Sam is going to face the Shadow Smurfs by himself!" Papa called out. "What? Why would he do that, and where is Smurfette?" Brainy asked. "I don't know, he wouldn't tell me." Papa answered. "Where did he go Papa Smurf?" Handy asked. "Towards the dam!" Papa told the Smurf, at that everyone quickly got ready, gathering whatever they could to try their best at helping their friend. Smurfette just lightly breathed through her nose, and hugged her pillow.

Sam ran as fast as he could, pushing himself yet further than ever, he knew his body was crying out in pain and fatigue, but he told himself he needed to push, to keep going and to protect Smurfette. He finally made it to the dam and quickly jumped over it, upon landing, his feet finally gave out, making him collapse to the ground, face first. His breath was so ragged, he was sure that he was hyperventilating, but still he pushed up with all his might, trying to get back to his feet. "I will not fail again! Never again!" he called out as he got to his feet, and walked until he knew he was outside of the barrier. He found a rock nearby and collapsed once again, this time onto his backside, and leaned against it, gathering as much of his dwindled strength as he could. 'They should be here before the Smurfs arrive, I need to be ready.' he told his mind, and he straightened his back to place his feet on his knees, and his hands on his legs in meditation.

"Quickly my little Smurfs we must find Sam and smurf him to safety." Papa called out. Brainy stood on the other side of the line of marching Smurfs waving his had in a fashion that told the others to keep moving, even though every Smurf he saw was still in their night cloths, a long white night shirt, "That's right, keep smurfing this way, single file, and make sure you smurfed your weapons and tools." Every Smurf in the village marched in to what they were sure was a battle zone some holding torches and others with pitchforks. "Remember, we just need to smurf Sam into the barrier." Papa Called out. "What if the Shadow Smurfs are trying to smurf the barrier down and Sam was going to stop it, Papa?" Sassette asked. "Then let's hope that we smurf their plan in the bud." Grandpa said as he joined Papa Smurf.

'Two hours, and nothing.' Sam said to himself, 'No, don't let it bother you; you must be ready for when they attack.' He opened his eyes to get a look at his surroundings, and noticed that the shadows were smiling at him. "Hmh, looks like they think they can just sneak up on me." he said out loud, but his mind held a different thought, 'I didn't hear them coming, it was almost like they didn't walk here but just appeared.' Suddenly he heard a familiar laugh, one that made his blood boil in anger, "You finally woke up Guardian!" the Minotaur said from beyond the trees. "I wasn't asleep." he said through his teeth. "Don't worry too much human, my curse will be over when you die. I will just take the swords of light from you after I have your soul."

"You're curse? That was you who led me to the swords of light?" Sam said in surprise. "Not all of it, she somehow used her powers without me knowing to disclose the location of the swords to you. You just happened to get there before me so I made up the challenge part to make it impossible for you to fully grasp their powers." the beast said. "She, you mean Lady Light?" he said as he stood up, now ready to fight. "Correct, you were already too late by the time you received the only weapons that could defeat me. I needed her powers to exact my revenge on your family after you survived the bandit raid." the Minotaur nearly growled out. "Revenge?" Sam asked, and quickly drew his sword to slice a Shadow Smurf that had been trying to sneak up on him. The Minotaur gritted his teeth in frustration, "Yes, it was because of your ancestor that I was trapped in that Labyrinth for so long." Sam turned to the Minotaur with a questioning look on his face. "That's right Samuel Silon. Your ancestor was the sorcerer who tricked me into entering that accursed place. I spent centuries wondering that dammed maze until I somehow found my way to the center, and my chance to get revenge, this Shadow Ax." he said holding out the black ax in his hands. Sam felt his anger rise drastically, "You sent those bandits that killed my birth parents?" he asked, "Then you have the gall to send your Shadow army against my new family, the samurai? And all because of some stupid revenge you couldn't have?" The Minotaur smiled wickedly, relishing in Sam's misery, "Oh I can have my revenge Samuel, and it shall be completed when you are dead before my hooves."

**End of the chapter**


	21. Crossing Smurfs

**Crossing Smurfs – **

Sparks literally flew every time the Minotaur and Sam clashed weapons, and with the Shadow Smurfs, attacking every chance they could get, made it very difficult to concentrate on one target in particular. Sam found himself backing away several times, but quickly found an opportunity to dash forward and clash swords to ax once again. Only when he noticed some of the Shadow Smurfs try to sneak away towards the hill, did he ever stop combat with the Minotaur on purpose. At the moment, he had destroyed ten of the Shadow Smurfs. "Those weapons will be mine!" the Minotaur called out and sent five Shadow Smurfs in to attack. "What do you need my swords for anyway?" Sam asked as he continued to fight. "Only with your swords can I obtain the full power of Lady Light before she becomes immortal, and become the most powerful of all creatures." the beast said, admitting his ambitions. Sam continued to fight, feeling all his muscles still screaming in pain from struggle and fatigue, the two hours he rested was not enough for his poor body to recover from the long run he endured to get here. Yet still he pushed forward, if not for himself or the Smurfs than for Smurfette alone, she was his reason for this battle, and he kept that in the forefront of his mind. His mind and body working separately, it was as if he were in another world, the slashing and stabbing were just figments to him. Within his mind, all he could see was Smurfette as she smiled at him, playing Smurf Ball with her friends and walking throughout the fields with a bouquet of flowers in her hands. Before he knew it, almost all of the Shadow Smurfs had been slain, leaving the Minotaur and Shadow Papa to deal with.

Smurfette turned in her sleep, feeling unsteady about her dreams, until she sat up with a start. "Oh dear!" she gasped, "I just had the unsmurfiest dream ever!" and she began to look around, finding herself back into her mushroom house. "Sam?" she called out, but with no answer she began to worry. Quickly throwing her covers off of her, she quickly noticed that for close to sun up, it was quiet in the village, she could see the dark sky just barely turning blue. "It's close to sun-up!" she screamed, and instantly ran out to find him. Looking to his house, she knew, he wasn't there, then she remembered what they stumbled upon more than 24 hours ago. "The dam!" she called out and ran as fast as she could to get to him before the sun did.

"Quickly my little Smurfs, we're almost there." Papa called to them all, Hefty, Handy and Blacksmith all pulled a large wooden device behind them, pulling at the same time slowly advancing towards their destination. "Are you sure this invention of yours will work?" Hefty asked as he struggled with the weight. "Absasmurfly, this will let those Shadow Smurfs have a taste of the sun's light during the night." Handy responded. "We're here!" Papa called out and the three Smurfs quickly got to work as the others watched Sam fight the one battle only he could successfully win. Handy quickly set up his device and gave it a once over. "The Smurflight is ready for action Papa Smurf." he announced. Papa watched as the Minotaur lifted his ax and slammed it into the ground, from the blades impact rose a new swarm of Shadow Smurfs, "And not a moment too soon. Aim it at those Shadow Smurfs." he ordered, and Hefty with Blacksmith's help, moved the device into position. Handy struck two small rocks together and the inside of the device quickly lit ablaze. The light of the fire bounced around the inside of the metal chamber, increasing the light potency and firing it in a beam. The Minotaur backed off quickly and every Shadow Smurf in the lights range, dispersed into the shadowy mist they were made from. "YES!" Handy shouted and the other Smurfs all cheered in their success.

As Sam fought off Shadow Papa, the Smurfs kept him from getting swarmed, by pointing the light strait at the Minotaur to keep him from summoning more. Suddenly they all heard her calling, "SAM!" Smurfette called out. Sam locked blades with Shadow Papa again, pushing as hard as he could against the villain, "Smurfette!" he whispered to himself, and pushed even harder, making Shadow Papa slide back before finally tripping and falling on his butt. Sam turned only to watch as Smurfette neared the barrier, "No!" he whispered to himself and ran to meet her, trying to keep her safe. The moment she actually exited the barrier, the Minotaur smiled and lifted his ax, despite the light shining into his eyes. Even Shadow Papa reeled back one of his axes and aimed it at her.

It seemed as if everything was in slow motion, Smurfette and Sam running towards each other, the two villains readying their attacks, and the sun as it finally peeked over the horizon. Shadow Papa turned in horror as the Sun's rays finally hit him, and his screams of pain were the only things left of him. The Minotaur Turned in pain as the real sun slammed him in the eyes with its light. Smurfette could only watch as Sam stiffened up and stopped running, before dropping his swords and flopping down on the ground. When she reached him, she tried everything to get him to wake up again, "Sam, Sam wake up!" she told him over and over again. "He will not awaken little one, his soul belongs to me." the Minotaur grunted out, and with that, a small ball of light seeped out of Sam's back, and traveled towards the hulking behemoth, still shielding his eyes. Smurfette screamed in frustration, before grabbing both of Sam's swords, and almost charged at him, until Hefty and Blacksmith, both grabbed her arms and dragged her back towards the barrier, as the Minotaur used his free hand to encase Sam's soul. He then looked to where he thought the swords were only to find Smurfette struggling against the two strong Smurfs and Handy dragging Sam beyond the barrier. "NO!" he shouted as the female Smurf was dragged back into the safety of the barrier. The beast removed his arm from his face, letting the sun shine into his eyes, and struck the barrier with his ax. The Ax bounced off of the invisible shield, and cracked unnoticed near the handle. "Blasted female! You will be hunted until I have possession of those swords." he shouted and actually vanished into a puff of black smoke. Several moments went by, before anyone spoke to Smurfette, and it was Hefty who did, "Smurfette?" he whispered, and reached for her. Smurfette responded by bursting out in tears and the loudest shout of despair they had ever heard from her. She then dropped to her knees next to Sam as he lay there and cried her eyes out at his side.

**End of the Chapters.**


	22. The Smurfy Decision

**The Smurfy Decision – **

Papa just couldn't stop his research, he needed to find a way to reverse the Minotaur's curse, if not for himself, then for the happiness of Smurfette, who had done nothing but train all day. He could tell that she was wearing herself out, and he wanted to stop it quickly. He suddenly came across an entry in one of his books, and read it silently to himself. As soon as he was finished with the entry, he shot up from his chair and without closing the book, left his hut in a hurry. Brainy entered in momentarily, to find him gone, and without asking himself why, he peeked at the book Papa had been reading earlier. "Uh oh!" he said and left to go find help.

Gargamel stomped around his hobble, steaming but not finding anything to rant about, "Azrael!" he called out, "Where are those Smurfs? Why aren't you out there catching them?" Azrael just shuddered a little and Scruple knew just what he was thinking, "Lay off of him Gargy, we're all still shaken from the Shadow Smurfs attack." Gargamel first stiffened up at the mention of the Shadows, then he turned and promptly shouted at his nephew, "Don't talk back to me you…you…" he was interrupted when he heard Papa Smurf from his window, "You should be happy you three smurfed out alive Gargamel!" The three of them turned to find the leader of the Smurfs standing there with a determined expression on his face. "Papa Smurf, how nice of you to stop on by for dinner!" he said as he rang his hands together and laughed with Azrael and Scruple joining in. Papa simply held up his hand silencing the three of them, "I have no time for this Gargamel, I need to smurf a look at one of your advanced curse spell books and be on my way home."

"Oh, won't you stay Papa Smurf? We have been so lonely!" as he was talking, Scruple and Azrael moved in to attempt to grab Papa off of the sill, only to get a bucket of smurf berries each in the face. Heft, Brainy and Handy all appeared from behind, charging in to save the day. Handy and Hefty quickly grabbed random fabrics from around the room and wrapped Azrael in close to Scruple, and tying them together. "Hey, what's going on?" Scruple asked as he and Azrael toppled to the ground. Gargamel tried chasing the two Smurfs, right past his book shelf, "Scruple you useless ninny, get up and…" he never got to finish, because Brainy, trying to find the book Papa wanted, accidentally dropped one of the books on the top shelf onto Gargamel's head, knocking the bumbling wizard silly. "Oops, sorry Gargamel!" Brainy said as he looked down to him with a look of embarrassment. Papa walked up to what he thought he recognized. "Great Smurfs, Brainy you found it!" he shouted and closed the book, "Hefty, would you smurf me a hand with this?"

"Sure Papa Smurf!" he said as he grabbed the parchment by its spine and lifted the entire thing over his shoulder. Brainy, Handy and Hefty all exited the house of the wizard and Papa stopped at the window before turning around, "I will return this shortly, Gargamel. But for now I am in desperate need of it." and turned around to follow the others. "Don't mention it!" Gargamel said to Papa, still completely out of it.

Smurfette moved as quick and precise as she could, making every swing count, and the swords sang as she sliced through the air. 'I wasn't smurfy enough to help, and I just got in the way!' she told herself as she practiced. "I hear that Papa Smurf found a cure for Sam's smurf removal curse." Vanity said as he and Jokey passed by her. This conversation caught her ear quickly, "Uhuk huk. I can't wait! I'll have to make an extra smurfy surprise for him." Jokey said in response, and the two disappeared behind one of the houses. 'Hm, if Papa can smurf his soul back…' she suddenly smiled brightly, "that means I have a smurfy chance to save him!" she said out loud, and ran to follow them. "Do you think she fell for it?" Jokey asked in a whisper. "Our act was the smurfiest, like me. Now all we have to do is lead her to the village square and Papa will tell her the rest." Vanity whispered back.

Smurfette followed the two Smurfs to the very spot they whispered about, and there was Papa, reading the gigantic book in the middle of the village. "Papa Smurf!" she called out. When Papa looked up at her, he had on a bright smile, "Smurfy news Smurfette, Sam isn't dead!" he told her. Everyone gasped at the very thought of it, some even jumped for joy, and Clumsy thought that he could just wake him up. He would have tried if he hadn't tripped over his foot. "This curse requires a great amount of magic in order to perform, but because the soul is removed by magic instead of smurfy means, it is easily attracted back to the body when within a smurfy distance of it." Papa read out loud, "It also means that the body stays alive as long as the soul stays on this plain!"

"Smurfaroo that means he can come back!" Snappy shouted. Papa on the other hand, knew better, "Only if the Minotaur doesn't force Sam's spirit to smurf on to the aftersmurf. We need to get to him before that happens."

"I can smurf a wagon to carry Sam in!" Handy shouted. "My mirror might just come in handy on this assignment!" Vanity said as he looked around. "I can bring my best jokes to surprise any intruders" Jokey shouted. "And you'll need my muscles!" Hefty joined in. "I, Brainy Smurf, can come along for smurfy strategies and translations." he said in his relatively arrogant tone. When he opened his eyes he noticed that everyone was staring at him, almost all with an angry look on their face. "You know, just in case!" he told everyone only slightly humbled. "I'm coming to!" Smurfette said, and every one turned to her, "If there's a chance that I can help Sam in anyway, I want to help. Besides, I'm able to use the swords of light better than anysmurf here." she told everyone. "We'll all go, Sam was one of us and a Smurf never gives up on a Smurf." Papa said, everyone cheered and dispersed to pack for the long trip. "Papa, how will we know where to go? The Minotaur could be anywhere!" Smurfette asked. Papa turned to her with a knowing smile, "I have a smurfy feeling we'll know when we talk to Lady Light, remember, she smurfs everything with her powers of light. She'll be able to help us in ways we never smurfed." he reassured her. Smurfette smiled at him, and quickly kissed him on the cheek in thanks, before running off to pack her things. "Eh, he, he, he, I'd better make sure we get there as smurfily as possible." Papa said as he too left to pack.

The Minotaur stomped as hard as he could, cracking the floor of the room, even though it just resealed itself every time. "I was so close! So close to gaining the swords of light." he ranted. In the corner of that room, stood a tube, like one you'd find in a modern scientific laboratory, that reached from floor to ceiling. Inside the tube was a bright light, the size of him, "I warn you Minotaur, this plot of yours will never work. Only I can sustain the powers of Light." said a beautiful woman's voice from inside the light. The hulking beast finally stopped destroying the floor, in order to gaze in the direction of the angelic female voice, "If I had gotten those swords, I could have plunged them both into your heart and absorbed your powers before you were fully immortal! But without them, I cannot take control of your powers. Only the swords your ancestor created have the capability to transfer your power to me and finally make you see, you should have never been chosen as the Keeper of Light." he ranted. "You are greedy and selfish; you were never to possess the power of light because of that fact. You would have plunged the world into chaos!" she called out. "Then let the chaos reign!" he said and smiled, as he held out his free fist, "For I have the soul of your guardian." and opened his hand. The small ball of light simply floated there for all to see. "You think you have won, but there is another with the power to wield the swords, and she can become even more of a threat that he." Lady Light said, and Minotaur clenched his fist around the soul, "Lies, she is nothing but week little Smurf, she's not worth my time." he said and turned to walk away down one of the halls, "But still, I'd better not take any chances!" he said and glanced at his closed fist with a wicked grin.

"Is everysmurf ready?" Papa asked. "Yes Papa, I personally asked every Smurf here, and I've got the bumps to prove it to." Brainy said as he rubbed his head. Papa chuckled a little at Brainy's little display, "Alright stay together and lets save our friend." Every Smurf alive could be heard cheering, and they all marched making their way out of the barrier, all except Grandpa and the Smurflings. In farewell, Sassette had put on her Kimono, just to wish them luck. "Come back safe!" she called out, "They will come back right Grandpa?" Snappy asked. "Don't you worry Snappy, nothing will stop those Smurfs, not even those Shadow Smurfs stand a chance with Smurfette the way she is." Grandpa affirmed. "That's what I'm afraid of!" Nat said, incredibly nervous.

**End of the Chapter.**


	23. Anciant Magic and Smurfs

**Ancient Magic and Smurfs – **

The battalion of Smurfs marched along the road, keeping from sight as they passed humans. Each determined to make the long journey, "How much further is it Papa Smurf?" Jokey asked. "Smurf-up Jokey!" Heft said angrily, nipping that string of complaints in the bud. "Remember Jokey, we're doing this to help Sam smurf his soul back." Smurfette reminded him. Jokey began laughing, "Ahuk, huk! Yah, but that doesn't mean it has to be dull." then turned to his other side and pulled out a yellow box with a red ribbon wrapped around it. "Here's a present for you Brainy!" he said. Brainy didn't look amused but still took it anyway, "Thank you Jokey!" he said and opened it, fully expecting it to explode, instead the top popped off and a fake spider attached to a spring popped out. Brainy freaked out and threw the box back at Jokey before running to the front of the pack, "PAPA SMURF!" Jokey couldn't help but laugh really hard, and thanks to his practice, he walked and laughed at the same time. Smurfette simply looked to the sky and smiled while shaking her head.

From inside the Lady Light's mountain home, the Minotaur could be heard screaming in frustration, "Blast it, another failure!" and with that he threw a Shadow, Soldier the size of a Smurf, against the wall, letting it disperse into the shadows. He quickly grabbed his ax and slammed the blade into the ground, as he did the unnoticed crack grew ever so slightly. Again the blade spread its shadows across the ground, forming it into Shadow Smurfs, "Find that impudent little Smurfette, and make sure you kill her. When you're done, bring me the Swords of Light and her dismembered head!" he ordered. "Yes Minotaur!" the Shadow Smurfs said, and vanished into the shadows. "No matter how hard you try, you will not succeed!" Lady Light told him from her prison. The Minotaur seemed to be use to her being able to project her voice around her abode like that. "We'll see, once this experiment of mine succeeds, she'll have no chance at winning!" he said and lifted his ax high into the air to make a dark black cloud of shadows. Once it was the size he wanted it to be, he grabbed it out of the air and used his hands to mold it.

It had been a long day of traveling, and Smurfette especially wanted to get some sleep, but instead she sat there, waiting by the glow of the camp fire. Papa Smurf yawned from behind her, "Aren't you asleep yet?" he asked. "If I sleep now, how can I protect everyone?" she asked. "Even Sam got his sleep Smurfette, yes it was at a deferent hour than us but he still knew the value of rest." Papa tried explaining to her. Smurfette sighed, "I guess your right Papa Smurf, I try to smurf some sleep." she said as she actually placed her head on the ground, and before she knew it, she was snoring away, gently. Papa chuckled lightly at how fast she fell asleep, he had known that she was exhausted. Looking around the forest, he realized just how different, life now was from inside the barrier, "Maybe that barrier isn't what we need as Smurfs after all!" he said to himself, and lay his head on the ground to fall asleep.

The morning brought both security and energy to all the Smurfs, Papa saw a definite improvement in Smurfette's features as she smiled while she practiced. "How do you feel?" he asked. Smurfette turned to him in the middle of her swing, not worried because she knew he was well beyond her danger zone. "Smurfy, that night's sleep really smurfed the trick!" she told him, continuing her training. Papa smiled at her, knowing she would do much better now. "Smurf it up soon Smurfette, we leave in a few minutes!" he warned her. "Yes Papa Smurf." she said to him.

They soon left their camping ground, traveling towards their destination, and keeping an eye out for any signs of trouble. Their travel led them a great deal away from the village and by the middle of the third day they could see the mountain they called Spire Peek in the horizon, "At this rate it will take us weeks to get there!" Brainy complained, until Smurfette shot him a disapproving look. "I'll just go smurf some fire wood." he stammered, and left in a hurry. Papa Smurf laughed at the spectacle before turning to Hefty and Handy, "Why don't you two go smurf him a hand?"

"Sure thing Papa Smurf." Hefty called out and Handy followed suit. Both Hefty and Handy attempted to follow the bespectacled Smurf, but when he wanted to run, he could run. "How in smurf does he run like that?" Hefty asked, only to be answered by Handy, "If Smurfette smurfed you that look, you'd run that fast to!" It was little while before Brainy even decided to slow down, next to a large pile of rocks. "I've never been that frightened by Smurfette before." he gasped as he attempted to regain his breath. "I don't think she's ever been that smurfed at you before either." Handy said as he and Hefty stopped to stand next to him. "You really should exorcize more Brainy; maybe you could have run further than me!" Hefty told him as he flexed his muscles. Brainy simply lowered his eyes to only half show, "I'd rather exorcize my mind." he said under his breath as he placed his hand on one of the smaller Smurf sized rocks, and it slid into the pile, shifting no other rocks and taking Brainy with it. "BRAINY!" the two of them called out as they watched him disappear into the darkness.

It felt to Brainy like he was sliding down an endless slope, disappearing into what he thought was nothingness, then the rock he was on came to a slow stop. Slowly and cautiously, the intelligent Smurf opened his eyes, seeing a faint glow in the darkness, almost as if it were trying to be hidden by something thin. However it was all a blur to him, until he realized his glasses were missing from around his head. Patting the ground, he quickly located his missing glasses and placed them over his eyes, clearing up the area. What he found, was the skeleton of a human wearing armor that was modeled similarly to Sam's and a strange helmet designed in the same fashion with a forked crown on its forehead and half of a mask that looked like the face of a monster. "YIKES!" Brainy shouted, before placing his hands over his mouth to quiet himself. "Brainy Smurf, are you alright down there?" Handy called out from up top. "Y…Yes!" he responded. "Stay there; we'll smurf you a rope!" Hefty called out, and Brainy went into a panic, "No wait, don't leave me down…" but they were already gone, "here…" he trailed off. Nervously, he turned back around, to face the monster he believed he saw, and recognized it, "A samurai!" he whispered and braved a closer look. The light that shined forth came from his right clenched hand, and when Brainy looked inside the hand, he found a stone, shining brightly, as if welcoming the Smurf into the cave. The armor looked to be made from pure gold, all the way down to his decrepit bamboo sandaled feet, and what wasn't covered in armor, was clothed in a fine black silk all the way down to his toes.

"Blacksmith and Tailor would have a field day with this!" he told himself out loud, and soon noticed something missing, this samurai had no swords. "Strange, Sam told me that a samurai never smurfs anywhere away from home without a set of swords, or a weapon!" he whispered, mostly to himself, and decided it would be wise to take a look around, by removing the glowing stone from the skeleton's hand, and holding it up with his own. The bright gentle glow was warm in his hand, and soothed his skin as it lit the way. Holding it up as high as he could, he caught a glimpse of what actually killed the warrior, a broadsword made completely of shadows from blade to hilt. "Oh Smurf!" he said to himself, and backed up all the way to the wall, or what he thought was a wall. Placing his free hand behind him he felt something that definitely wasn't rock but instead, "Paper?" Brainy asked as he turned around with the stone in hand. What he saw, was a large scroll, that looked about as wide as a smurf house. 'How do I get this out of here?' he thought to himself before going behind it and pushing it over. The moment it hit the ground, the ribbon that tied it together, broke from age and the scroll unrolled itself a little, almost compelling Brainy to read it, and he tried. "These are Japanese Characters!" he gasped as he realized the writing. Holding onto his glasses, he attempted to make heads or tails of it, thanks to Sam teaching him the language.

What he didn't notice was the sword of shadows, slowly removing itself from the samurai corpse, and point itself at him ready to strike. "Brainy!" Handy called out, catching the bookworm's attention and getting him to turn around, spying the shadow sword floating in mid air, poising itself to strike. "YIKES!" he shouted and instinctively placed the glowing stone in his hands in front of him, just as the sword lunged for him. The tip of the sword, struck the stone dead center, and shattered into thousands of pieces before like the Shadow Smurfs, popped into a dark mist. A blood curdling banshee scream rang through the cave as the sword met its demise and the stone in Brainy's hands, dimmed until it ultimately went out.

"BRAINY! What on smurf happened, are you alright?" Handy called out trying to get a hold of his fellow Smurf. Brainy let himself calm down a while before answering, causing Handy to begin to worry, "I'm smurfing in after him, keep your smurf on the rope." Hefty could only nod as he tightened his grip on the rope. Handy lit a candle as he was lowered into the dark cave, shining its dim light on a cowering Brainy standing on a large roll of ancient paper. "Brainy?" he asked calmly. After hearing his name, Brainy dropped his hands and quickly looked around before spying Handy and his candle. "Oh thank smurfness!" he sighed and looked down, remembering the scroll, "You have to smurf me a hand with this Handy! It could be historical writings from Sam's home in Japan!" he said. Handy brought the candle to a safe position, and noticed some characters that Sam used to write on his instructions, "Well Smurfette is going to smurf for this!"

**End of the Chapter**


	24. Smurf of a Rainbow

**Smurf of a Rainbow – **

"I can't make heads or smurf of this scroll." Papa said as he studied the large piece of paper. The paper was extremely aged, and almost brittle to touch. "Ehem!" Brainy tried to gain every ones attention, but was ignored, "This is Japanese writing isn't it Papa?" Blacksmith asked. "Excuse me…" Brainy began only to get interrupted again. "I think we should have left it there, Brainy had trouble just trying to read it." Hefty said folding his arms together. "I hate 'Trouble reading it'!" Grouchy responded. "Actually I…" Brainy once again tried to intervene, but again was cut off and ignored. "It might be too important to just leave there Hefty Smurf, we'll just need to wait until Sam returns to us." Papa said. Smurfette then spoke up, "Why can't we just let Brainy smurf it for us?" she asked. Everyone looked at her, and laughed, "Smurfette, even Brainy doesn't know Japanese." Jokey said and gazed at Brainy himself, "Right Brainy?" Brainy cleared his voice before going into what everyone called speech mode, "Sam did in fact supply me with a Japanese to Smurf dictionary, so translation is possible, slow but possible." he informed everyone. He preferred not to let everyone know that Sam had indeed taught him a few words in Japanese. He didn't want to brag until he had mastered the language, so he couldn't be teased by the others. At first Papa couldn't believe his ears, "Japanese to Smurf?" he asked but soon smiled in relief, "Well then, smurf to it Brainy."

"Yes Papa!" Brainy said and saluted him. "How did he smurf you a dictionary that quickly?" Handy asked truly puzzled that Sam had that much time on his hands. "It actually belonged to his adopted father. It was how the old samurai learned most of his English, and was the only other thing left of him. He just happened to have it on him at the time the curse was cast." Brainy told him and the only thing Handy could do was blink.

Brainy now spent a great deal of time in the cart, doing his translations, and it was Handy who came up with the idea to allow a pair of squirrels to pull the carts along after Wild Smurf, a smurf in a leaf made Smurf hat and brown loincloth, found them and agreed to join. Tracker Smurf was at the front, leading them towards what he knew was the mountain called Spire Peek. The actual mountain was the steepest of them all, stretching up like a needle poking out of the ground, its many sharp ridges and high point almost seemed to cut into the sky itself. "There it is." he whispered, almost praising the mountain itself. "Spire Peek!" Papa confirmed. "So that is where Lady Light smurfs?" Hefty asked in awe, "How do we smurf **that**?"

"Remember, Sam smurfed a mountain almost exactly like that one. There has to be a way, or the mountain itself might be a test of your smurf." Smurfette told him worried that he might want to turn back around and go home. Hefty gulped, the look of the mountain was very intimidating, but he just had to try. "That's only if you can get passed us little Smurfs!" shouted a familiar voice, "My army and I are back to make sure you never make it there." Papa Smurf gritted his teeth at the shadowy figure of himself. "Shadow Papa!" he called out. "Correct!" Shadow Papa called back out. "But how? We all saw you turn into black mist when you smurfed the sun!" Tracker called out. Shadow Papa simply smiled, "Crazy thing about Shadows made from one of the seven Shadow Weapons, you can easily re-spawn the same shadow after it has been defeated. Why do you think the first guardian had so much trouble with the first Shadow War?" he asked in his insanity. Smurfette had just about enough of listening to the pompous copy of her beloved Papa, and quickly drew both of the blades. Running past all other Smurfs, she made a bee line for the army of shadows. "SMURFETTE, WAIT!" Papa called out as she passed by him, but she didn't stop, instead it seemed as if she just ran faster. Shadow Papa quickly pulled out his axes, and crossed them in front of him to block her strike, "Where is he?" she growled through her teeth. Shadow Papa simply chuckled and pushed harder, but it seemed as if for every inch of pressure he added, Smurfette added two. "Where… IS…**SAM**?!" she cried out as she literally shattered his axes from the pressure of her swords and swiped the blades away from her, removing the useless handles from Shadow Papa's hands. "That's impossible." the shadow whispered before shouting, "ATTACK!" As the entire army advanced slowly, with fear surrounding them after the display Smurfette just put on, Smurfette took a deep cleansing breath, "Get out of my way!" she warned, but only allowed for a second to decide before she literally dashed through the middle of the army, reducing their numbers drastically. Several copies of Clumsy Smurf turned to look at her in overwhelming fear, "She's too strong!" one of them shouted and all of them began running in circles, or into each other. One of them even opted to be dispersed by the light rather than fight her one on one. "Cowards!" Shadow Papa called out to the panicking shadows. "That was a lucky move." a close by Shadow Hefty snickered, "She probably couldn't do it agai…" he never got to finish, because Smurfette, focused and angry, swung her katana vertically across him without looking, and allowed him to disperse into the shadows. This time almost half of the shadows panicked and began running in every direction, fleeing to where ever they could.

"Her training did that?" the real Hefty asked in surprise. "Something doesn't seem smurfy, she's letting her anger get the better of her, but at the same time, she's controlling it." Papa speculated watching as she destroyed several Shadow Smurfs that tried to advance on her. "And you guys said that my clumsiness could take on armies." Clumsy commented. "It can! She's just more coordinated." Grouchy said to him. Then they continued to watch as she slaughtered almost a third of the army, taking on everyone that approached her. "And you can honestly say you're sorry afterwards." he added in fright. Blacksmith Smurf on the other hand, watched in amazement and awe, every time those two blades sparkled in the sun or because of Smurfette's inner light, his eyes lit up with inspiration and passion. "This is the Smurfiest day of my life!" he whispered, scarring all nearby Smurfs that could hear him.

It seemed like Smurfette was dancing, her swords both an extension of her arms, and the wind brushed by her ears as it moved through her hair. She suddenly stopped her dance and stood there in the middle of a semi-circle of about twenty or so Shadow Smurfs, each poised to strike with Naginata's, Katana's or other weapons. She let her anger slowly slip from her, "Where is my Sam?" she whispered once again. The remaining shadows glanced at each other, no one willing to make a move towards her. "You don't have to worry Smurfette." one of them said from beyond the circle of enemies, "Your love is safe," when a few of them separated, a Shadow of Clumsy stood there, unafraid and courageous with a Wakizashi in his left hand, "Minotaur won't force him to cross over, it won't be enough to him. Remember, he wants the guardian to suffer." the shadow told her, "but if you let your anger explode like that again, you might not be able to control it.

"Silence!" Shadow Papa called out. "Remember all of what he taught you, not just how to fight." the Clumsy Shadow said before Shadow Papa ripped a halberd from one the others and plunged it through the shadow's stomach. "I said for you to be silent." Shadow Papa told him. "Remember, balance of mind and heart." the dyeing Shadow struggled to tell her, and popped into a black mist. "I'm not sure what that was about, but it obviously won't happen again." Shadow Papa said and tossed the weapon back to the owner. Smurfette was appalled at the actions the shadow just took, "You would kill one of your own Smurfs?" she asked. "He was defective; he could hardly be called one of mine." Smurfette's anger quickly flared, "What do you care anyway?" the Shadow asked, "You've been slaughtering Shadow Smurfs left and right today, were you even planning on stopping once you got your answer?" Smurfette didn't answer, "Ah, you weren't were you? You might be even darker than I." he offered. "I'm not even close to what you are!" Smurfette called to him. "You're right little one. You're worse. You weren't punishing them for disobeying you, you were punishing them for even existing." he told her, and before she could even make a comment he interrupted her, "Think about it. All of those panicking shadows that came near you were slain for no reason other than being there. You actually brought your swords down on the innocent. Shadows or not, you destroyed them for being in the wrong place at the wrong time." and with that he laughed. Smurfette had nothing, she knew he was right; she had driven her blades through those panicking shadows because they got too close to her, nothing more. "What do you think Samuel would say to you now? Would he be proud, or would he shake his head and walk away from you?" Shadow Papa asked with a wicked grin spreading wider and wider as she fell into misery. "Sam would be proud!" the two heard as the real Papa shouted and they looked to him, "Proud that she learned from her mistakes, proud that she protected all of us." Shadow Papa's smile turned into an angry glaring frown as he tried to silence the Smurf without shouting at him. "So, she made a few mistakes, it's natural. But the fact that she is fighting for the right cause is proof enough for me to believe her heart is still Smurfy." The secrets that Sam had told her came racing through her mind, but one of them stood out among the others, "Remember Smurfette, when fighting an enemy, swinging your sword means nothing unless you can control it and the heart that wields it. Light isn't a power of anger, it happens to be a power from something greater." The memories of Sam telling her that also brought with it memories of the dates they had and the laughter they shared. She didn't even notice when the Shadow Papa called for his minions to attack. Instead her new instincts took over, and she swung the two swords in an arch so that they were above her head. She stopped when they were at their peak, and so did the advance. Once again Shadow Papa yelled at the group of twenty surviving Shadows, and they smiled before charging in. Inside Smurfette's mind she got to the point in her memories when Sam told her something she knew would change her life, "Aishite imasu. It means…I love you!" and the memory of the kiss they shared echoed throughout her mind. Once again a fire lit itself in her heart, larger than ever, and when she did bring her swords down to the ground, a blue light followed them, instantly shooting forward, slicing through the nearest Shadow Smurf with her blade, and then spreading the blue light across the field, cutting through all of the remaining Shadow Surfs, including Shadow Papa, who's eyes were as wide as a Smurfberry. Instead of shattering into dark mist, the mist actually cleared up and scattered throughout the field. "Oh my!" Tracker Smurf said and sniffed the air, "Cloud mist!" he told everyone. "Mist from a cloud?" Papa asked. Tracker simply nodded to him. From behind them, Brainy Smurf walked to the front, holding his glasses as if he didn't believe them. His reaction was something none of the other Smurfs expected, "That was the Nijiha!"

**End of the Chapter**


	25. Smurf the True Power

**Smurf the True Power –**

"What's the Nijiha?" Handy asked, voicing the question that all other Smurfs were thinking. "The Nijiha is a technique that only those with a large amount of power can use. It basically takes the power of positive emotions and allows them to shine in the form of light, except much more malleable. It acts like a blade of wind that when thrust forward at speeds exceeding…" opening his eyes, he noticed that almost everyone was almost asleep, except for Smurfette and Blacksmith. "Why do I bother?" he asked himself then to the others he simplified it, "Basically she can use a variety of colors like blades she throws from her swords."

"OH!" every Smurf said in realization. "I liked it better when he was using smurfier words." Blacksmith whispered to Smurfette. Smurfette looked at him with a concerned look. "Smurfette needs to use her positive emotions to summon up her light, only with strong emotions can she use the Nijiha effectively. The different emotions each have different colors, like a simple filing system." he told her. "You smurfed all that from that scroll?" Hefty asked. "Well, yah I did." Brainy said only slightly embarrassed, mostly proud. "Japanese use characters to represent words, so their language is faster to smurf, if you know what you're smurfing, like me." Brainy told him. "Yah sure!" Hefty said sarcastically. "What else did it smurf?" Smurfette asked, gripping his arm. Brainy looked down in a slight shame, "That was all I could smurf for now." he told her. Smurfette sighed and let go of him to walk away. Brainy began to feel as if he had let her down, until Papa placed his hand on Brainy's shoulder, "Don't feel bad Brainy, you've done more than any Smurf could, I'm sure she's grateful." Brainy looked up at papa, "Really?" he asked. "Smurf's promise." Papa reassured. "I wonder what made the Shadow Smurfs change into cloud mist?" Vanity asked, and then looked into his mirror, "Either way it does wonders for my skin, you can almost see it glow."

"I think her Nijiha did that, though I haven't translated that far yet." Brainy speculated. "What does Nijiha mean?" Clumsy asked in genuine curiosity. "It's translated as 'Rainbow Wave' Clumsy. 'Niji' being the Japanese word for 'Rainbow' and 'Ha' meaning 'Wave'. In reality she only used a part of the Nijiha's power. That was the 'Blue Rainbow Wave' or 'Ao Nijiha' to be precise." Brainy explained, and pinched his bottom lip and chin with his hand in thought, "I wonder which emotion she used for that Nijiha."

Smurfette, a good distance away, flipped her Katana in the air using simply her wrist. The whistle it made as it sliced through the air was beautiful, it reminded her of when Sam practiced using it, and those memories brought back the memory of their first kiss. Once again, the sword shined with a blue light, but this time she focused. When the blade came down, the light was focused, and traveled a short distance in the form of a cresset moon. It wasn't very big because of the minimal force she was using, but she now understood the basics of it. 'I wonder if Shadow Papa is gone for good.' she thought to herself, and the light vanished entirely. 'Worry must be a negative emotion.' she surmised, and once again brought up the memory of when Sam confessed his love to her, and kissed her. The blade shined and even brighter blue than before, 'True love must summon this color.' she guessed. This time she brought up the blade of the Katana high above her head, and slammed it down with all her might. The wave of light traveled all the way to the foot of Spire Peek before dispersing. With wide eyes, Smurfette watched as the blue blade of light sliced its way through anything it touched until it found it could go no further.

The mountain shook violently, as if something had hit it on the side. The Minotaur tried desperately to keep his balance, but eventually fell to his bull-like knees. With a growl, he stood back up after the shaking stopped, and stomped his way to the main room of Lady Light, "What was that?" he ordered when he stopped in front of the cage of the lady. "Why don't you use your ultimate powers to see?" she taunted. "Don't play games with me wench, I am your master. Now tell me what just happened." he ordered. Lady Light simply scoffed at him, "You are no one's master Minotaur, you are simply a power hungry fiend. The power of light will never work for you!" she challenged, and the Minotaur slammed his fist against the tube, making not even a scratch. "What happened?" he once again growled to her. "Stick your head out the east window and find out." she told him. Hesitantly, he turned to the window, and walked to it. When he looked down, he saw a trench, and a deep one. The scar in the earth started somewhere in the forest, and grew as it traveled towards the mountain side, carving out a large piece of the mountain with it. "What beast has done this?" he asked. Lady Light sounded as if she was smiling, but he couldn't tell through the veil of light that surrounded her, "The power of the swords has been awakened from within a Smurfette, and that power grows as she remembers him." The Minotaur looked at the Lady Light with curiosity and concern, "Something so small could not have caused such destruction." he argued. "You turn from the truth, yet you also fear it. Your experiment will fail you, like all of your powers have." Minotaur simply gritted his teeth at her, "When my 'experiment' brings back the head of Smurfette, you will bow to me before I plunge the two swords through your heart and take your power from you!" he said and stormed back off to make another attempt at his little project.

'Why didn't Sam teach me this trick?' Smurfette asked herself. Then it hit her, 'He can't do it, he doesn't know how!' Bringing up the blade so that she could look at herself, she wondered, 'Am I m stronger than he is?' Her thoughts were interrupted when Papa Smurf called for her, "Smurfette, time to go!" Looking back at the trail of destruction she had made, Smurfette found herself just a little embarrassed, "At least we won't get lost now!" she said and turned to join the others.

Two days passed by as they traveled, following the trench and staying hidden from sight. It would probably be weeks before any of the humans found this large ditch. Greedy had been chased out of the food cart several times, and now Hefty was assigned to guard it as the chubby Smurf complained, "Please?" he asked, only to be answered again with, "No!"

"Greedy give it up." Tailor told him, and Greedy slouched his shoulders, leaving the cart empty handed. Further up Brainy sat in his cart, studying the scroll he had found with the remains of the first samurai guardian. "Let's see if this means that, and that means this over hear…" he muttered going back and forth between the scroll and the Japanese translation book Sam had given him. "And this means, no it's different!" he continued. Smurfette and Papa walked at the front of the group, waiting and watching until they stopped, and looked up at the massively steep, Spire Peek. "We've arrived." Papa whispered, and turned around, "Make camp, every Smurf. We start the climb in the morning!" he announced. Smurfette continued to gaze at the tip of the mountain, 'We're almost half way there, I'll smurf you home even if I have to fight Lady Light all by mysmurf!' she told herself and turned to help set up camp.

Minotaur smiled at his creation, smiled insanely, "He, he, he. You said I would fail. Now look, feast your eyes, on your precious Smurfette defeat!"

**End of the Chapter.**


	26. Smurfette's Rage, Red Light Smurf

**Smurfette's Rage, Red Light Smurf**

"Not even a human could climb that, there's no way to start." Architect Surf said as she gazed at the cliff side, Architect was a Smurf who wore red overalls, and like Handy, had a sun brim on his hat. "Sam climbed a mountain just like this in Japan, I'm sure we'll Smurf a way up, right Papa?" Smurfette asked as she turned to the red clad Smurf. Papa tilted his head down in a shame, he knew Smurfette would want to go, but even he didn't see a way up for a Smurf. Smurfette let her jaw fall in shock, "You promised," she whispered, "You promised!" she repeated loudly. "Now, Smurfette!" he said trying to calm her down. Instead she pulled her arms away from him and stomped away, looking towards the mountain side, disappointed. Miner Smurf, a smurf with dirty coveralls and a candle resting neatly on his hat, looked at her, wishing there was something he could do, but he doubted even his pick ax would puncture that mountain, until he got a look at the spot where Smurfette had struck the side with her massive Ao Nijiha.

It was as if he could see through the thinnest part of the split, where the two sides were supposed to meet. Being an expert in rocks, he knew that wasn't normal, so he decided to take a closer look. As he approached it, he noticed that the trench, looked as if something sharp had slammed into the side of the mountain and where it stopped, was a slit in the mountain just large enough to fit his outstretched hand in. When he did stick his hand in there, he couldn't feel the back but for some reason, he could feel the sides of a smooth wall when he turned his hand around, so he reeled back his pick ax, and slammed it against the thinnest part of the rock, letting it chip away to make the hole bigger. All the Smurfs heard the racket that his pick ax was making, and decided to see what the commotion was about. "Miner, what are you doing?" Hefty asked. "There's…[Klank] something…[Klank] on the other side…[Klank]… of this wall!" he shouted as he chipped away. "Like what?" Clumsy asked. Miner stopped quickly to let his arms rest a little, "A room!" he said as he breathed a little, and got right back to digging. Handy quickly grabbed more tools and handed them out, "Help Miner dig that hole out, Blacksmith, we need some more digging tools as smurfily as possible." he called out. Blacksmith saluted him and said, "On it." before running off to get his fires going. "How do you know it's a room Miner?" Clumsy asked curiously as he ran to join the others, only to trip over his own foot, and roll into the others, causing the lot of them to smash through the rocks that formed the narrow opening. After cringing, Handy turned back to call out to Blacksmith, "Never mind, Clumsy got it open!"

"Aw smurf!" Blacksmith called back obviously not happy to not have his chance at making the tools. Clumsy, who was on top of the pile, simply smiled in embarrassment, "At least it's open." he said as he glanced around. Inside as far as the light shined, he could see a smooth painted wall of what looked to be sand. The pictures depicted a warrior garbed in blue armor and a golden helmet and cape as he fought his way into the shadows of the room. "Smurf is me!" Papa exclaimed as he, Brainy and Smurfette walked into the newly discovered room. "This room is ancient!" Brainy said as he looked at what he could see. "Smurf me some more light over here!" he asked and Smurfette drew the Wakizashi, using her own concentration to make it glow, the same way Sam used to.

The brightness of the light was almost as bright as the sun. "Smurf is me!" Papa exclaimed again, and turned from her, to shield his eyes. What he found was what looked like a human sized trough in the middle of the room, leading to and connecting to the back of the room, so he decided to climb it. Inside, he smelled something, something he'd never smelled before. "Papa!" he heard, Brainy call out, and turned to him, "Up here!" he called back. "Perfect," he called out, "can you light that fuel Papa?" The old Smurf simply glanced at Brainy with confusion, until the bespectacled Smurf turned again to the wall to explain, "It depicts hear that a fire must burn in that trough you're on papa. That fire will spread throughout the entire complex lighting the darkness and showing us the path to the first door." Papa wanted to ask more questions about the door, but was interrupted when Handy tossed him some flint rocks. Papa quickly reacted to catch the rocks and gave Handy a much needed angry glare that made the fix-it Smurf smile with embarrassment. Turning around, Papa struck the two stones together, the spark from the first strike was enough to start the whole trough ablaze, sending Papa careening backwards and into the hands of four awaiting Smurfs, sizzling beard and all. "Oh dear!" he exclaimed, and they all watched as the fire spread in a straight line near the level of the trough around the wall and up, in a kind of spiral pattern on both sides of the room with lines of troughs connecting both sides in even increments, even past the ceiling, making the floor above them glow in the open spaces. "It's a double helix!" Brainy whispered to himself, only to get curious and worried glances shot his way, "I'd lose you all if I tried to explain it!" and left it at that.

"This room is in perfect shape!" Architect gasped as he glanced around. "These structures are brilliant!" Handy called out happily. Smurfette, steeled her nerves and sheathed her sword, looking around, she spied what looked to be a stare case, "Where does that lead?" she asked as she watched Brainy try making heads or tails of the pictures that followed the stairs. "To the first door. It looks like you need to strike the red stone, with the Red Rainbow Wave, or in Japanese the Aka Nijiha!" he explained. "What emotion creates the Aka Nijiha?" she asked, only to be answered by a sigh, "The scroll said that it was different for everysmurf, there's no way to tell what kind of thing, emotion or otherwise, that will smurf you what color." Smurfette lowered her head, only slightly upset, "Thanks anyway Brainy," she sighed, then looked to him with a smile, "I probably wouldn't even know what it was without you." and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Brainy sank into a dreamy state, with his tongue sticking out and hearts swirling around his head. Papa walked up to Brainy as Smurfette turned to climb the stairs, "I knew she appreciated everything you did for her." he teased.

The higher they climbed, the more Vanity got nervous, "What if the Minotaur is already here?" he asked as he passed by a picture of the blue clad warrior fighting against a crud picture of the Minotaur. Painter Smurf, a Smurf with a French painter's red smock and black tie, came to take a better look at it, "It iz a disaster!" he complained in his French accent, "None of these pictures are made with any talent. Zey are all wrong!"

"I don't think we're here to criticize ancient art." Grouchy said as he passed by and grabbed painter by the sleeve. At the top of the stairs they all saw what looked to be a door, shut tight with a large red crystal in the middle of it, the door itself looked to be the size of a giant with a red jewel almost twice the size of a Smurf. "Now what?" Smurfette asked. "Smurfette?" called a voice from the ground, a very familiar voice, one that pulled on all of her heart strings at once. "SAM?!" she called out, and turned to run down the stairs as quickly as she could.

She saw him standing there, darkened by the shadows of the room, a brand new set of swords attached to his waist. "Smurfette, I'm so glad I found you." he said. Smurfette was just about to run to him when he yelled, "Stay back…I…can't control it at all." Just as he finished his words, he emerged in to the light, his skin and cloths, made from pure shadow, his eyes were of hellfire, and his swords made from the blackest of night. "SAM!" she called out in surprise, and slowly backed up. "This…body. I can't…it was going to kill you. Please leave…NOW!" he warned, but the body of shadows lunged forward, drawing his midnight Katana. Smurfette juked to one side, drawing her own sword of light and dodging the strike completely. "What are you doing?" she asked as he brought his sword down on her. Raising the sword of light up, she blocked and pushed his sword to one side. "I've…no…choice. This body won't listen to me. My soul…keeps it from…dispersing in the light. You have to defeat me…strike me with the swords of light." all the while he said that, his body made several more attempts to attack her, each time she blocked he would come back with an attack just as strong. "I can't, I'm here to save you!" she said, only to be interrupted by him, "You can save me by killing me, I can't stop this monstrosity. It will keep attacking you until you lay dead at its feet, and then continue to slaughter your family. You cannot let that happen, KILL ME!" he shouted, as his onslaught continued. "NO. I'M GOING TO SAVE YOU AND THAT'S THAT!" Smurfette cried, her tears streaming down her face.

"Quickly my little Smurfs, go get Sam's real body, I have an idea." Papa Smurf said as he turned to the others. "On it Papa Smurf." Hefty shouted and ran down the stairs. The Shadow Sam, spied him as she neared the opening, and dashed to attack him. Smurfette also dashed at the same time, but proved to be faster than him, blocking his way and parrying his blade. "You see?" he asked. "I don't care, Sam! I'm going to save you! I won't stop until you and I are together again!" she shouted. Suddenly her sword shined, not white or blue, but red, Papa turned to the door as the red light struck the crystal and the door crumbled. In agony, the shadow body brought up his arm, shielding its face from the light. "Is that the true power of the swords of light?" he asked and his body jumped up to the top floor above before running through the door. Smurfette watched after him as he disappeared behind the door, "She was so determined…could that be her Aka Nijiha?" Brainy Smurf asked mostly himself.

**End of the Chapter.**


	27. Smurf of Courage, Green light Smurf

**Smurf of Courage, Green Light Smurf**

Smurfette watched as the one who stole her heart, the shrunken samurai, vanished behind the walls of the other room. Her tears stained her cheeks, yet they wouldn't stop flowing. 'I found him, yet I'm still so far away. This smurfs!' she thought to herself. "Alright Brainy hand me that mint leaf." she heard Papa say. Turning around, she saw Papa and Brainy mixing something in his cauldron, something that was beginning to smell pretty good at the moment. She watched as Papa squeezed the mint juices out using his bare hands, letting it drip into the potion. "What's it supposed to do Papa?" Brainy asked. "This potion will help Sam regain his soul, after Smurfette frees it from that shell of a body." he responded. "Why me?" Smurfette asked. Papa turned to her, with an expression that said both sorrow and confidence, "I'm sorry Smurfette, but you are the only one among us Smurfs that can match him in combat." Smurfette dropped her eyes to the floor, "But, I can't he's so much better than me, so much smurfier."

"Courage Smurfette, courage is what you need. Here!" Papa said and handed her a cup of something. "What is it?" she asked. "Just a mint tea I had Chef Smurf whip up, it will help you to relax a little so that your arms and legs can recover from your recent battle quickly." Skeptically at first, Smurfette took a sip of the 'tea' in her hands she immediately felt it relax her body and soul, so she continued drinking. "It's good." she said and walked away. "What kind of potion was that Papa? A potion for strength, speed, courage?" Brainy whispered, hoping it was what he thought it was. "No Brainy," Papa chuckled, "it really is just mint tea."

Smurfette continued to walk around, seeing what everyone was doing. Painter had brought out his pallet, and decided to 'correct' the art on the walls without damaging them, thanks to Architect and Handy's persuasion. Handy and Architect were making Blueprints of the interior of the room. Clumsy sat over to the side, with other Smurfs as they spoke to him and each other. Even Jokey was behaving himself, telling jokes instead of pulling pranks. Smurfette couldn't help but smile, she hadn't enjoyed her family like this for some time now. She placed the cup of tea to her lips once again and took a sip. When she got to the steps, she hopped up and sat down on the first of them. Instinctively she pulled off the two swords on her waist, and was about to put them aside, but thought twice about it and instead, set her cup of tea aside to examine the blades. She wondered when they had become a part of her, instead of just swords. She knew they would always mean so much more, but she wondered when using them became so easy for her. Pulling her Wakizashi partway out of its scabbard, she admired the pearl near the handle seemed to wink at her, reminding her of the time Sam presented the swords for show, the week before he started training her and the Smurflings. She remembered how hard it had been at first, the movements were exceptionally hard to get used to, and every wooden sword made by Handy was crafted to be perfect. These memories brought with them all of the wisdom he had taught her, 'Samurai means 'to serve'.' he would tell her, 'A samurai's main focus is to protect his, or in your case her, people. Courage is the best weapon a samurai has. Courage isn't running into battle blindly, but rather the willingness to do everything it takes to accomplish what you believe to be right, despite what others tell you.' With that, Smurfette sheathed her sword again and placed the both of them on her lap, wanting to protect what she had left of him. Again she picked up her tea cup and began to sip the tea, only to find it lukewarm now.

Minutes later, Papa and Brainy placed the last of their ingredients into the cauldron, "And finally for the soul, a pinch of magical wisp." Brainy watched in awe as the concoction shined a bright blue, brightly at first, but quickly died down to a dim glow. Papa reached into one of his bags and pulled out two vials. Dipping them both into the concoction, he filled them both but only corked one. "Brainy I need you to smurf this on Sam's original body, this will attract the soul when Smurfette defeats the false body and releases the spirit."

"What's the second one for Papa?" he asked as he took the first Vial. "Smurfette needs to smurf the false body with this one in order for the soul to know where to smurf when it is released." Papa informed him. Brainy simply nodded and went to accomplish his task. Papa approached Smurfette as she sat on the stairs with an empty tea cup and her two swords. "Smurfette?" he called as he jumped up to the step, "When you fight Sam again, I want you to smurf him with this." As soon as he finished, he handed her the corked vial of glowing potion. Smurfette looked up to him questioningly, "This potion is like an attractant, it will pull the freed soul to the body that has been smurfed with the second potion." he said. Smurfette sighed in relief, "But you after you smurf the false body, you must defeat it." Papa added. Smurfette let her jaw drop in surprise, "But he's so much better than me?" she argued. "You want him back don't you?" he asked. Smurfette bit her lip and nodded. "I'm sorry Smurfette," Papa sighed, "it's the only way." and with that he jumped up to the next step, ascending the stairs. Seconds later, the army of Smurfs followed him, moving around Smurfette as she sat there.

"Her power has grown, as I predicted. Even your new warrior has failed you." Lady Light taunted as the Minotaur tightened his fist around the handle of his ax. "That puny human has no power over my shadows. His soul merely feeds it, making his new body more powerful than any of my other shadows. The next battle between them shall end with her death." he ranted as he slammed the blade against the shield. Near the handle of the ax, the minute crack widened again, completely unnoticed by the Minotaur. "Your rage once again betrays you, beast!" the lady told him. The Minotaur let his anger subside slightly, replacing it with confusion, "And what, pray tell, does that mean?" he asked. "Only what it says Minotaur; that you are a wild animal, only relying on your fearsomeness to survive." she told him, only to have him slam the ax again into the shield, widening the crack again, "You know of what I ask wench. What do you mean my rage betrays me?" he shouted. Lady Light remained silent, almost chuckling at him. He growled as his anger enveloped him again, yet he knew as long as he kept her in this tube, she could not escape him. He suddenly smiled, letting his bull-like lips curl up, "We shall see, Lady of the light, we shall see."

Smurfette was the last to enter the door, and the next room astounded her. The pictures along the wall continued again, but so did the lit troughs of fire. Again a stair case led up to another door, one that had a green crystal in the middle. "Papa Smurf, look at this!" she heard Brainy shout. Turning her head, she once again saw Painter, trying to 'redo' the pictures on the wall on one of his canvases. Clumsy was pushing with all of his might against the door, trying to open it himself. Brainy and Papa stood over Painter as he painted away, with Handy holding up his previous painting next to his new one. "You're right Brainy. These pictures tell a linear story." Papa said as he gazed at the pictures. "What's the story Papa Smurf?" Handy asked. "It tells of strength and cunning my friends." the all heard Sam say from the shadows of the room. He too gazed at the pictures. "In the beginning, there was a war, a war of Light and Shadows. Seven shadow weapons were forged from the darkest pits of the hearts of man, and two swords were forged by the keeper of light, who saw the potential for good in those same men. The seven weapons of shadow were sealed away by the Guardian of Light after the war had ended. In the years that passed, the Minotaur became the strongest of beasts in the land. He would take on any challenge and be victorious. One day, a sorcerer came across the door to a place he called the Labyrinth, a place even he was afraid to go. In his brilliance, the sorcerer tricked the Minotaur into stepping into the Labyrinth, thinking it was but a challenge. Instead the sorcerer sealed the entrance to the Labyrinth, trapping the Minotaur inside until the beast could find the one thing that could set him free." he explained, "The Shadow Ax, one of the seven shadow weapons hidden and sealed by the first Guardian of Light."

With that he turned back to Smurfette, "Light had triumphed that day, but like the light, shadow cannot be completely destroyed." he said, and rushed to her, drawing his katana at the same time she did. The two swords met in the middle, sparks flying from the impact of metal on metal. "Even now the shadows of this body begin to envelope me, but I won't give in, I still need to protect you, even if it means from myself." he whispered as their faces closed in. Pushing as hard as they could, the two jumped apart only to dash back at each other and clash blades again, over and over. "You can stop it!" Smurfette called out. "The Shadows are too strong Smurfette. I can't…" he began, only to be interrupted by her shout as she leapt over his swing, "NO!" Sam turned and clashed swords again with her, "You can. Just keep smurfing and let me help you!"

"Why not tell me to try harder? Why not let me give up Smurfette? Why let me suffer like this?" he asked. "Because I miss you Sam, I miss dancing like this." she told him. Sam opened his eyes wide, and watched as his body moved with hers smoothly, like a dance. Music from both of his human homes, Japan and England, began running through his mind as he remembered how he and her, danced in the meadow as they practiced with wooden swords. "What keeps you moving forward like that?" he asked. "What makes you so sure that what you do will work?" Their movements moved again in the form of a dance, no one wanting to gain more momentum than the other, yet both not wanting to fall behind, spinning around each other as if circling a drain. "Why do you fight me instead of run away like I told you to?" Smurfette whipped her hat off quickly, "Because I want to. It's the right thing." she shouted as she reached into her hat and pulled out the vial of potion. Dropping her hat and using her teeth, she pulled the cork from the bottle and thrust the open end into Sam's face, splashing the entire potion all over him. "AGGGGH!" he shouted, as he rubbed his eyes using his gauntlet, seeing that it wasn't working, he leapt backward and heard the whistle of her sword and the clang of the blade striking the floor. "And I will always fight for what I believe is right, you taught me that." she said as she watched him use his free hand to rub his eyes free of the potion. "You taught me courage." the moment she said that, her blade shined a bright green, engulfing the room in its light and again crumbling the door.

"This Light!" Sam whispered to himself, then shouted to Smurfette, "Remember to practice those powers Smurfette, focus them so that it's easier to use." and again the shadow body, jumped to exit the fallen door.

**End of the Chapter.**


	28. Smile of a Smurf, Yallow Light Smurf

**Smile of a Smurf, Yellow Light Smurf**

The joyous laughter of Lady Light rang in the Minotaur's ears, and it continued to infuriate him. "My words ring truer than yours old beast." she taunted in a sing song laughter. "SILENCE!" he shouted and once again slammed his ax into the tube. The crack once again spread unnoticed by the Minotaur. "He still remains trapped in that body of shadows, therefore he has multiple chances to slay the female Smurf. The girl on the other hand will weaken soon and fatigue, that is when she will die." he shouted. "You underestimate her Minotaur." Lady Light kindly said, "She grows in power even now. Stronger than him even."

"Rubbish!" the Minotaur said as he turned from her, "Your guardian is to be the strongest in the world, and he is at my mercy."

"The human is no more at your mercy than I am. We are both just prisoners in a cage of glass, neither of us able to shatter our confines alone. She will free him Minotaur, and you will fall to the Guardian's power." she told him.

Smurfette and the other Smurfs rushed into the room. Instead of paintings of a story, the walls were decorated with a multitude of different things, from flowers to portraits, and foods of all kinds. Each of the Smurfs ran to what they admired the most. Painter walked up to the most beautiful painting he'd ever seen. A painting of a Samurai in gold armor wielding the two swords of light, lit ablaze with brilliance. Brainy walked up to what looked to be a page drawn on the wall of an ancient manuscript. Likewise all of the Smurfs spread out to see what they liked the most. Only Smurfette and Papa walked up to the door with the yellow crystal lock. "Oh my smurf, so many distractions." Papa said as they approached the door. Smurfette looked up at the door, knowing all too well that she could not open it any other way. "I'm going to go practice Papa Smurf. Sam said I need to be able to use these new attacks faster than this, I think he was smurfing me hints on how to beat him." she told him. Papa smiled to her and nodded. Looking down at the rest of the Smurfs, he smiled. It made his spirit soar to see them so happy. Just then, he could hear a blast go off and he looked up even further. Jokey was rolling around on the ground laughing, covered in confetti and steamers with an open box painted on the wall, a secret opening at the top.

Sam watched each of the Smurfs as they played and awed at the room. Sitting beyond the stairs, covered in shadows. He knew he didn't have much more time to enjoy his friends being just happy. He knew that soon his new body would receive an order from its creator, an order to destroy Smurfette. But for now he simply wanted to watch his friends, his family as they smiled and played. It reminded him of back in the village, when he would train and play with the Smurflings in the shade of the trees, or at midnight when he would participate in the cookie snatching event. He always left his cookie in Smurfette's room, silently sneaking into her house and just staring at her for a few minutes, admiring her beauty. It wasn't long, and he felt the body slowly move. He tried to stop it, but he just knew it was no use when it dashed forward, straight at Smurfette.

As if hearing his movements, she turned around, and blocked his strike with her own. "You've gotten better!" he said. "I've had a great teacher." she retorted with a smile on her face. Smurfette pushed against him as hard as she could, effectively picking him up off of the ground and throwing him to his butt. "Her strength just seems to be growing, not waning, is this natural for a Smurf I wonder?" he asked himself as his body once again rose and dashed at Smurfette, and once again the two were locked into combat, dancing and spinning like a couple on the ballroom. It was a random pattern that she had memorized several times, making it an instinct, a reaction, a natural part of her thoughts. She was watching him, waiting for that perfect time to strike. He left little time to do such a thing, if at all, and almost every time, she found herself missing the opportunity. Sam was in no better shape, his body tried to take every opportunity to cut her down, but somehow she would always deflect his attempts. "The speed you improve at is astounding Smurfette." he told her, "Smurfs truly are magical!" Suddenly she swerved to one side, allowing his dark blade to strike solid ground, and his body was forced to draw the Wakizashi in order to keep from being killed. In reaction, Smurfette drew her own Wakizashi, and again locked her blades with his. Their dance doubled in speed, leaving every Smurf in shock at the abilities she displayed. 'Good she can keep up with me.' Sam thought to himself, 'My body is giving it everything now, I can feel it.' She suddenly threw her Wakizashi up into the air, and with only one hand, kept up with both of his swords as his body continued to try to sever her. "What the…" he started.

It felt like an eternity until the shorter sword came down, with only a fraction of a second to spare, Smurfette reached up with her left hand, catching the handle and bringing it down, blade first, on top of him, splitting the shadowed body in half. The moment the blade slid through his scalp, his body froze, unmoving. Slowly a single black line revealed itself, traveling down the body, releasing all of the black mist in trickles. "Thank you." he said, and the body popped in an enormous burst of shadow. The wave that came out from his destroyed body, covered all around it, blowing Smurfette's hair like a fan would, or a strong breeze. Seconds after the room filled up with nothing but black, the mist rushed out through the previous doors, disappearing into the sky. In the place of the body floated a glowing blue ball of light.

"The Soul." Papa whispered. Smurfette reached out to grab hold of it, but was stopped when it started slowly moving towards the cart the other Smurfs had brought. It moved smoothly past all of the Surfs as they made a path for it. "Don't touch it." Papa whispered as Brainy tried reaching out to it. The sphere sank into the sides of the cart, vanishing from sight, until it sank into the body inside, Sam's body. There was no bright flash of light, no spectacular display of power, just a deep gasp from a now conscious Sam, and coughing followed by him sitting up, his back covered in hay. "SAM!" Smurfette called out and ran to him, jumping into the cart, and enveloping him in a gigantic hug. "What happened, I thought that…" he choked out. "The potion that Smurfette splashed you with attracted you trapped soul back to your real body, thanks to the other half of the potion." Brainy explained. "Sam…" Smurfette sobbed, ignoring everyone else. "I'm sorry. I made you cry." Sam said as he felt her tears on his chest. "It's not that, I'm just so happy." she told him still crying into his chest. She was so busy crying that she didn't notice that the swords, that she still clutched, began glowing yellow, bathing the entire room in its light until the door again crumbled.

"RAAAAAAAAGH!" the Minotaur shouted. "How can this be? I had the Guardian in my grasp, now he has everything he needs." With one swipe of his arm, he cleared the table of its contents, feast and all. "Your end is coming Minotaur, you will fail at the hands of the Guardian of Light." Lady Light said to him. Spinning around like a whirlwind, he slammed his ax once again into her prison, cracking the blade even more. "I will have all that I want. My revenge, my power, and my destiny!" he shouted. "Destiny?" she asked. "It has been my destiny ever since I heard about you to become the rightful ruler of the Light." he said as he leaned in to press his nose against the glass. "Then why do you wield a shadow weapon?" she asked. The Minotaur lowered the ax slowly, glaring at her, "Any means necessary." he said and turned from her to storm off.

**End of the Chapter.**


	29. Smurfed!

**Smurfed!**

"IMPOSSIBLE!" shouted the Minotaur in rage. "How could she have beaten him? She's just an apprentice, and yet she has bested her own master!"

"No Minotaur, It is you she has beaten." Lady Light told him. "Do not mock me, wench. I am still you captor, it is I who have the power to rule the cosmos." he threatened. "Your anger shall destroy what you seek to control Minotaur. Even now you seek destruction. What will happen if the people and creatures of this world attempt to defy you?" she asked. "Then they shall die!" was his simple answer, "They will either obey me, or be destroyed by me."

"You will not have the swords of light Minotaur, and even if you did it would do you no good." Lady Light said to him. "It will mean the end of you, and the beginning of the reign of pure power." he said, smiling wickedly at her.

Hours now passed as Sam and Smurfette sat with each other, catching up on what had happened to the other and just spending time with each other. The other Smurfs busied themselves with the things on the wall, smiling and laughing all the while. "So Lady Light is trapped by the Minotaur himself?" she asked. "Unfortunately yes, and if we are to obtain any peace, we must stop him, but for now, we just wait." he told her, and brought her head to rest on his shoulder. "How many of those waves of light have you found anyway?" he asked. Smurfette wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer to her so as not to lose him again, "Four, my first one was the blue rainbow wave, or in Japanese…" she started, "The 'Ao Nijiha'." they both finished. "You speak Japanese?" she teased. His laughter vibrated his chest, to which she found strangely comfortable. "The second one I smurfed was the red one, it represents my determination." she said. "The 'Aka Nijiha'." he translated. "The third was the green for courage, and the yellow just now was from my happiness." she told him, hoping to hear their Japanese names. Obligingly he said them out loud, "The Midori and the Kiiro Nijiha's, respectively." Silence surrounded the two of them as they enjoyed their company. "So what does the Ao Nijiha represent?" he asked suddenly. Smurfette blushed a bit, it had been too long since she had said this to him, "My love." she whispered. Sam smiled and squeezed her shoulder gently, "No matter what happens Smurfette, I love you." he whispered to her. "I love you to." she whispered back.

She found herself relaxing once again, not to sleep but from relief. When he used his free hand to lift her chin so that he could see her face, she gazed into his deep blue orbs. The distance between the two slowly shrank, and would have disappeared if not for Blacksmith Smurf, "Hey Sam!" he said, interrupting them. Smurfette returned her head back to his chest as he dropped his face in frustration, "Yah Blacksmith?" he asked. "I just finished a pair of swords for Smurfette, and seeing as how you're going to get the Swords of Light back…" the Smurf said, until Sam interrupted him, with a surprise for both Blacksmith and Smurfette, "Actually I'm not. Smurfette has awakened their power, not me. It is she who will continue to possess them until we can free Lady Light." Smurfette lifted her face off of him, looking him once again in the eyes, "But these are your swords, they belong to you." she said. Sam placed his free hand to her cheek, "No Smurfette, they belong to you now, I never had the power to do what you did. But now we can fight side by side. I will take the swords that Blacksmith has forged for you and I will use them to protect you at all cost, fighting right there by your side." and with that, he sealed the deal with a kiss, silencing Smurfette's argument. "O…K…" Blacksmith gawked, and turned to fetch them. He returned the moment the kiss ended, and before they could begin again, he cleared his throat. Laying the swords out in front of him with the palms of his hands, he formally knelt down to present them, "The Crystal Light Swords, Sam." he said and bowed his head. Sam stood, escaping Smurfette's grasp, and picked up the Katana, before drawing it out of its scabbard and held it up, examining the blade.

The sword he saw, was of a blue hew, the same design on the blade to the Swords of Light decorated the blade to this sword. The hilt was almost identical to his old swords except for the crystal blue color. The handle was wrapped in a silvery colored fabric, and the pommel was again of light blue. Like his Swords of Light, this sword possessed a small pearl set into the blade near the hilt. "It looks like the Swords of Light." he told the Smurf. "An attempt to duplicate its power." Blacksmith told him, still kneeling with his head down. Sam swung the sword through the air, listening to it sing as it cut the wind. "They are very good swords. I will honor you by using these blades to protect everyone." Sam said as he slid the blade back into the scabbard, and took the Wakizashi from him. Skillfully he tied the Wakizashi to his belt, and slid the Katana into place. Bowing to Blacksmith, he spoke with his eyes closed, "Thank you, my friend." and sat back down next to Smurfette. Smurfette almost immediately engulfed him in her arms again, while Blacksmith stood up and turned from them, leaving them alone.

"I'm happy to see Smurfette smiling again Papa!" Brainy said as he turned back to the script on the wall. "Yes, so am I!" Papa said as he watched them cuddle. "Brainy, have you translated the entire scroll yet?" Papa asked. Brainy froze in his reading, and shot straight past Papa in a hurry, "Oh smurf!" he gasped. Papa smiled at his helper's missed steps, "Hehe, I guess even Brainy can lose his train of thought." Papa said to himself. "Sam would you go with Brainy, you can read Japanese fluently and it may help to speed things up."

"Sure Papa Smurf. Come on Smurfette, I want to feel the sun on my skin." Sam said, and the two of them stood up to go catch up with Brainy. Quickly descending the stairs, the met up with Brainy outside, Sam noticed that he stood frozen with a look of disbelief on his face. As they turned the corner, they found out why, the cart that held the scroll, was engulfed in flames. "What happened?" Smurfette called out. "It's gone, the scroll. It was in there." Brainy whispered in disbelief. "Brainy, what happened?" Sam asked as he grabbed Brainy's shoulders, turning him from the burning cart. "What happened?" he repeated. "The Minotaur, I saw him smurf back into the shadows, he did this." Brainy rambled, tears falling from his eyes. "Focus!" Sam yelled, "Now, what were you doing with this scroll?"

"Translating." Brainy said in slight shock. That shock quickly melted into realization, "Translating!" he repeated and pulled the pad of paper from his hat. "I wrote down all of my translations here in my note pad." he told them. "Let me see." Sam asked, holding out his hand. Brainy didn't ask any questions, instead he handed the pad right over and Sam glanced at it, quickly reading each page. "You were almost done." he said as he handed back the pad of paper. "Thank you Sam, but I'm afraid that there was more than that." Brainy admitted. "Do you remember any of the Characters?" he asked. "Only a few, and I'm not sure what they mean." the bespectacled Smurf admitted. "What did they look like?" Sam asked. Brainy closed his eyes trying to remember the shape of the characters, and drew them in the dirt. The characters themselves looked unfamiliar to Brainy, and that was why he asked his mentor. "Final attack!" Sam read, "Was there anything more to that?" he asked. "Not that I remember, I'm smurfily sorry." Brainy apologized. "Tch!" Sam scoffed, "At least we know that there's more, just wish we knew what it was." he said. "We'll just have to keep smurfing to find out, right?" Smurfette said to him. Sam nodded and placed a hand on Brainy's shoulder, "You did great Brainy, thank you." Sam made a sharp turn, facing Smurfette, "Now Smurfette, we are going to keep practicing until you can use all four of those Nijiha's smoothly, no excuses!" he said, his eyes focused but his mouth turned up in a smile. Smurfette, saluted him, "Yes sensei!" she said and turned to find the perfect place.

**End of Chapter.**


	30. Friendship is Smurf, Orange Light Smurf

**Friendship is Smurf, Orange Light Smurf**

Hours passed, as she practiced, focusing completely on the emotions that emitted her light. While inside, Papa Smurf and Brainy Smurf searched everywhere for something that could help them understand their situation better. "Let's see," Papa said as he gazed at the painting that interested Painter. "A depiction of the old guardian of light I suppose." he said and moved on to the next thing on the wall, a carving on the wall of animals and people emitting light. The thing was, they were all female. "What could this be?" The more he looked at it, the more he saw. Each was a different species, narrowing it down to one of each, with the last being the female human at the end. She looked as if she were supposed to be an angel; the light she emitted was by far the brightest of them all. Turning to the beginning of the line he noticed that the first maybe eight or so pictures had been destroyed. A large indent on the shape of an oversized fist replaced the depiction of the creatures. "Minotaur." Papa guessed. "A list of the Lady Light legacy?" Brainy asked from behind him. "My smurfs exactly." Papa agreed. "It's unfinished." Brainy said as he looked to the end. All that was there was a bright yellow splotch, painted to look as if it were just a being of light. "Do you think that Lady Light paints these herself?" Brainy asked. "If zo her talent is finicky, no?" Painter said as he looked at all of the different qualities of paintings. Papa merely chuckled at the ideas his Smurfs came up with.

Outside, Sam enjoyed the sun while Smurfette rested from her training. "I haven't felt the sun on my skin for years, maybe three or four, I lost count." he told her. Smurfette, sweaty from her training, tightened her grip around his waist and pressed her face into his bare skin. "You're doing great Smurfette," he complimented, "You've got control over all four of those Nijiha attacks."

"Thanks Sam." she said to him. The silence that followed was comfortable to the two of them, but it was broken moments later when Smurfette lifted her head to sneak a kiss to his cheek. Sam blushed a little, and then turned to plant one on her lips. The two stayed like that for what seemed to them was an eternity, but in fact was only seconds. They broke apart when they heard a loud thud and Clumsy's, "Ooof." Clumsy lay there at their feet, looking up at them and smiling sheepishly. "Eh heh, Sorry about that." he chuckled. Both Sam and Smurfette, turned to each other, and began to laugh. "It's ok Clumsy, we like you just the way you are." Sam said as they watched the clumsy Smurf rise to his feet.

Again, light filled her heart as she watched Sam help Clumsy to his feet. She thought of all of the Smurfs that stayed with her throughout the trip, and even the Smurflings back at the village with Grandpa and Granny Smurf, her friends and family. She thought about all of their adventures, especially the ones before Sam had arrived. Silently, she drew the Wakizashi, and gazed into the blade, wondering if those old days when all she needed to worry about was if Gargamel was going to catch her in the forest that day would ever come back. "Penny for your smurf?" she heard as Blacksmith walked by, carrying a load of metal in his arms. Looking towards him, she sighed, "Just smurfing about the old days. Remember when the worst days were the days when Gargamel found our village?" she responded as she turned back to her blade. Blacksmith laughed out loud as he remembered those days. "And those days were few and far between." he added. Smurfette chuckled a little at his response. "But in those old days I didn't know what I wanted to smurf. I'm glad we can't go back, because I really wouldn't want to. I've got too many good friends now that I'd lose." he added and then continued to walk away. "Friends." she whispered, and again gazed into the blade. The more she thought about the friends that came with her, the more her soul filled with happiness. A glow of golden feelings spread throughout her body, filling her with the warmth she remembered all too well. "Smurfette!" she heard Sam call out, and she opened her eyes, only now realizing that she had closed them. In front of her she saw the blade of the Wakizashi glowing a bright orange. "Daidaiiro Nijiha." Sam whispered in Japanese. Almost as quickly it went out, right before her eyes. Gently Sam placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes, "What were you thinking about when that happened?" he asked kindly. "My…" she started, and tried to find the right word. Sam waited patiently for her to finish, and smiled when she did, "My friends, the other Smurfs."

"So friendship brings out your Daidaiiro Nijiha." he whispered, and then he pulled her into a tight embrace, making sure he was unharmed by the blade. "Well done my love!" he said to her, causing her to smile and blush while returning the hug.

Smurfette and Sam walked in to the room about an hour later, Smurfette with a triumphant smile on her face. "What's the secret?" Handy asked, and followed them up the stairs, like all of the others. Confidently, Smurfette lifted her Katana high into the air, and without closing her eyes, unleashed the Daidaiiro Nijiha in a bright flash of light. Seconds after letting the light fade, the crystal on the door shattered, and the door crumbled into pebbles and dust. "Well done Smurfette!" Papa Smurf said as he passed by her to investigate. The other room looked to be quite similar to the others, except the pictures had been completely decimated. The walls were crumbled and chunks of it lay on the floor, "Smurf is me!" Papa exclaimed, and walked into the room with the others behind him. "This room is completely destroyed." Handy said as he sneaked around the room. "Whatever was in this room, was something the Minotaur didn't want us to see." Sam said. Clumsy seemed to be the only one to notice that one side of the room wasn't lit, in fact the trough that carried the fuel was smashed near the door, leaving one half of the room completely dark. From those shadows, he felt eyes of evil watching him. Suddenly he spotted movement, "Is some Smurf there?" he called, and walked close, but not too close to the shadows. The figure took shape, shifting and changing into what looked like himself. "Boo!" the Shadow Smurf said and grinned evilly. Clumsy literally fell to his tail, before turning to get to his feet and run back to the others. Malicious laughter filled the room, echoing from the shadows and filling the Smurfs' souls with fear. "Just stay in the light my little Smurfs." Papa said to them, just as Smurfette and Sam drew their swords, ready to fight. "I'm not sure they will give us that option Papa!" Brainy said, in a frightened shiver. Papa looked up to see what he was talking about, and saw several Shadow Smurfs loading a catapult, full of dark powers. "Oh, Smurf is me!" he whispered mainly to himself.

**End of Chapter.**


	31. Smurf Blue Room, Consequence of Rage

**Smurf Blue Room, Consequence of Rage**

The malicious laughter surrounded and filled the room around the Smurfs, Sam and Smurfette standing defensively on either side of their family, protecting them in their own way. "This can't be good." Sam whispered, "The Minotaur must have destroyed that side of the room so that the Shadow Smurfs had a place to survive in these upper chambers." Through the laughter, he could hear the drip and splash of fuel as it fell from the broken parts of the wall and landed in the trough below it before continuing on its way. "We'll have to re-light the troughs above this one." Brainy said. "First we survive this fight." Hefty said as he lifted his fists to a fighting stance. Tuffy Smurf, a Smurf with a black belt and brass buckle, walked up close to Hefty and put up his fists as well, "Let me at em!" he said and began punching the air in front of him. "You Smurfs stay back, let us handle this." Sam said and flipped his swords smoothly. Handy tried to sneak away, in an attempt to acquire his Smurflight, but was cut off when a dark arrow zoomed past him, stopping him in his tracks. "Tisk tisk," one of the Shadow Handy's said as he waved his finger at him, "We wouldn't want you to miss the deaths of your two friends." The sickening grin the shadow had sent chills down Handy's spine, "Sorry." he said.

"Leave him alone." Sam said, and dashed into the crowd of Shadows. Confidence perforated the faces of the Shadows as he moved in closer, his speed undeniably equal to any hero of old or legend. Sam deflected three strikes before landing a blow of his own, thrusting the tip of the bright blue blade into the chest of the Shadow Handy that taunted the real Handy Smurf. Surprise replaced his confidence as the blade slid through him, and with a scream of pain, shattered into black mist. Sam heaved his legs so that he could leap over the rest of the surprised Shadows, and land next to Smurfette, sweating for reasons she couldn't explain. "How did you do that?" one of the Clumsy Shadows asked. "I spent years training with those Swords of Light. I've lost them several times, and found that depending on the quality of the blade I wield, I can force the blade to emit my light. It just so happens that the pearls embedded in the Swords of Light, do it for me automatically." he explained, "The swords I wield at this moment are of the best quality I've ever seen for the short amount of time he had to make them. It would take him over a hundred years to make them the quality that the Swords of Light are, it just takes me more effort the way they are now."

"But that means you won't be able to last as long!" Smurfette whispered to him. "Yah, I know." he whispered back. "You stay back and guard the other Smurfs, let me go in and take care of the rest." she said. "Fine, but I think that it would be wise to use your Ao Nijiha to wrap this up as quickly as possible." he said, and at that very moment the shadows launched the catapult. In seconds, Sam rushed forward and used his katana to cut clean through the mass of black energy, dispersing it into mist. "DO IT NOW!" he shouted upon landing. Smurfette lifted her katana high into the air, and quickly calling up the memories of her and Sam, caused the sword to burn with the blue light of her love. The instant the crystal saw the blue light of her sword, it crumbled along with the door. Slashing horizontally, she launched a massive Rainbow wave into her enemies, dispersing a majority of them into purified mountain mist. Sam placed himself between the Smurfs and their shadows, "GO," he shouted, "I'll take care of the stragglers!" No more than fifteen shadows were left, each of them advancing towards the others as they retreated up the stairs and into the next room. "I'm staying here with you." Smurfette said as she stayed behind. "Glad to her it!" Sam said in relief.

Things weren't as they had planned, somehow the catapult had survived, and in increments of only a few seconds, they had to fend off another ball of black flames. At the same time, they fended off the few remaining Shadow Smurfs, only slaying a few at a time. "Only two left." he said to her. Smurfette looked up to see almost ten Shadow Smurfs remaining, "Two what?" she asked. "Two more colors." he reminded her while parrying several strikes, "Ai and Murasaki! Indigo and violet. The only two colors of the rainbow you haven't unlocked."

"What do you think they are?" she asked as she blocked the strike of a katana. "Not sure, but we need to find them, it's the only way to advance." he told her. She looked to him, and saw a smile on his face, not the smile of excitement, but the gentle smile of faith. "Heh," he chuckled, "It's probably easier than we think it is. Like hope and trust, or something like that."

"Worth a smurf!" she said, and thought hard about the hope she had when trying to restore his soul, and the trust she had in him. Her trust was only reassured when he silently threw his Katana at her head, instead of striking her; it barely even touched her ear, piercing the head of a Shadow Smurf that was sneaking up on her. Smiling at that, her trust amplified tenfold, and shined a deep blue light into her katana. The hope she had channeled went to her Wakizashi, turning the light purple. "How did I call that?" Sam asked in true wonder. His distraction cost him though, as one of the Clumsy Shadows, rammed his head into his chest, and pushed him through one of the many gaping holes in the wall. The shadow dispersed immediately, and Sam disappeared in the clouds below. "SAM!" Smurfette called out and ran to the hole, only to find him gone and her view blocked by the clouds. "You're next little girl!" one of the few remaining shadows said.

Smurfette let her anger grow rapidly, filling her soul with nothing but the rage of losing him again. "Why?" she asked. The shadows paused in their advance, "Why do you always have to DESTROY EVERYTHING?!" she screamed. The light that surrounded the blades shifted, turning from the light to a darker shadow than the shadow magic they were made from. It didn't stop at the blades, the midnight black power spread up Smurfette's arms and down her back, engulfing her in its negative power. "Why do you always have to take him from me?!" she asked maliciously, and smiled as such. Quick as a lightning bolt, Smurfette vanished from the sight of the shadows, decimating the rest of them in a single second, mercilessly. The shadows screamed in agony as they dispersed into the dark mist, their screams echoing in the halls of the building. Smurfette let her body tense up, the tears falling against her will. She dropped the two weapons to the floor, and fell to her knees, before screaming at the top of her lungs in the pain of love lost.

The room shook with a darkness, and the scream of a certain Smurfette, "What have you done?" Lady Light asked as the Minotaur staggered, trying to keep his balance. "I have once again destroyed your guardian." he said tauntingly. "You have opened a figurative Pandora's Box, she will now not rest until everyone in this palace is dead." the Lady corrected him. "I will destroy her first, then you will be destroyed and I will have acquired my destiny." he said only half confident. "Are you so proud that you refuse to fell her power? A power even darker than the original shadow magic, the magic your ax spawned from?" she asked. Minotaur was just about to slam his ax into her prison once again, but he stopped. He wasn't stupid, he felt the dark, menacing evil of that very power. "I must think on the matter." he said and left to ponder the subject. Lady Light took this opportunity to reach out, her powers shining forth and reaching out to a broken heart.

Smurfette continued to cry, shaking in her tears and sorrow. The pitch black power from the swords had faded, for now. Sniffling and crying, she almost missed it when a light shined from the floor, up at her face. "Huh?" she asked. The light shined brightly before shaping itself into letters. 'Do not be sad.' the message said and shifted again, 'All is not lost.'

"Yes it is." she said. Only memories of Sam's story had kept her from running in fright, she knew who it was, "He's gone."

'No my dear, he lives.' Lady Light wrote. "What?" Smurfette whispered. 'As long as you remember him, he will be as immortal as you.' the message said. Smurfette dropped her head, "Yah, but that won't bring him back to me." she reasoned. 'But I can.' the message said, 'Should you free me, and your greatest wish be in my power, I shall grant what you desire.' At first she couldn't believe it; she was just offered the one way she could bring Sam back to life, then her spirit lifted, "Any wish?" she asked hopefully. The hope that appeared caused the blades next to her hands to shine again, the deep blue color filled the room again, shining from both blades this time. 'All that is within my power.' she promised. Quick as a lightning bolt, Smurfette grabbed the handles of the two swords and stood up, "I still have a chance!" she said, and turned to run back to the other Smurfs, sheathing her swords and snatching up the katana Sam had been holding. "You can count on me, Lady Light." she shouted and hopped up the stairs. The light on the floor faded as Lady Light sighed, "Your wish will come true, but not by my power little Smurfette." she said and smiled.

Smurfette never stopped once, even as she reached the others she moved past them quickly and on to the door. The dark blue crystal shined and winked at her as she recalled the promise Lady Light had made, causing the blades to shine forth in their indigo color. "What 'Wave' is that?" Grouchy asked. Brainy covered his eyes, and removed his glasses so that he wouldn't be completely blinded by the light, "Ai Nijiha, or in Smurf, Indigo Rainbow Wave." he said and waited until the light faded to place his glasses back on. "What's gotten into her?" Handy asked as he watched her happily run along. "Come on Smurfs, what are we waiting for?" she asked and ascended the stairs with an unusual spring in her step. "Where's Sam?" Papa Smurf asked as he watched her climb. Just like that, Smurfette stopped in her tracks, and lowered her head, "He's…he's gone." she said and turned to present the Katana he had been using. "Gone where?" Clumsy asked, ever so optimistic. "He fell, out of the room. Who knows how far down he is?" she replied. Clumsy placed his finger to his mouth in embarrassment, "Oh." he replied, finally understanding the situation. Brainy placed his hand on Clumsy's shoulder, kindly offering his comfort. "I'm sorry Smurfette." Papa began. Smurfette quickly smiled, "But if we smurf the Lady Light, she said that she'd smurf me one wish!" she announced. "Really?" Papa asked as all of the Smurfs brightened up. "Yes, so I say we get going. She won't smurf herself!" she said and turned with that very spring back in her step. "I agree, Smurfs, hop to it!" Papa ordered, and the same spring could be seen in all of the Smurfs as they followed behind Smurfette, ascending the spiral stair case to the door.

The next room looked even worse, the entire outside wall had been destroyed to the point of crumbling completely. "Oh fiddlesmurfs." Papa said, "Minotaur must have not wanted us to figure this part out as well."

"At least the sun is smurfing this room right?" Brainy said nervously. "Yah," Handy gulped, "At least there are no sh…sh…Shadow Smurfs trying to smurf us in here." he said. The door they met up with held a violet crystal embedded into its front. "The last door." Smurfette said and turned from the others, looking out at the sky. "So close," she said, "we're so close to the sky, and to the Minotaur." Closing her eyes, she focused on the feelings she learned made the light inside of her, remembering each one individually. The last two she focused on the hardest, practicing them until she could wield the light with ease.

**End of chapter.**


	32. Secrets of the Smurfed

**Secrets of the Smurfed**

Sitting on the edge of the destroyed wall, brought with it time for Smurfette to think. Thinking brought memories, and memories brought mixed emotions. The love and happiness she felt when Sam was around, the sadness and rage both times she lost him, and the misery of not knowing whether or not she could save him. Her mind reeled with questions, only a few being answered by herself. Absent mindedly, she kicked her feet back and forth, letting her memories flow through her. She had quickly mastered both of her new waves, letting her easily access all seven of the waves, but she refused to keep moving until she sorted out her thoughts. 'It's not fair.' she thought to herself, 'I just got him back, and now he's gone.'

"It's not fair." she said out loud. "I know it isn't." Papa said from behind her. Smurfette turned her head slowly, meeting her 'father's' gaze. "Hi Papa Smurf." she said solemnly and turned back to the view. Silently, Papa joined her in that view, silently feeling her pain. "We'll see him again Smurfette, remember, Lady Light said that she would grant your wish." he said to her. "I know," she told him, "it's just, why did this have to happen, Papa Smurf? I just don't understand. Why did the Minotaur have to smurf all of this?" Papa stroked his beard as he glanced out at the clouds, looking to them for the answers he wanted, "I'm not sure Smurfette, perhaps greed, or hatred or any other unsmurfy reason. The only way to really understand what he's feeling is to ask him your smurf." he said suggesting his only reasonable response. Smurfette tucked her legs underneath her hugging them tightly, "I miss him Papa, I miss him a lot!" she said sadly. Noticing just how close she was to crying, Papa placed his hand on her shoulder, "I do to Smurfette." he said solemnly. Smurfette took a deep sniff through her hidden tears, allowing a few to fall to her cheeks. The other Smurfs stood back, watching the display in silence, "Do you think Lady Light can really smurf Sam back to life?" Clumsy asked. "I certainly hope so." Brainy said softly.

From the other side of the door, the Minotaur stood triumphantly in front of the prison of Lady Light, "I told you, Lady Light, your guardian has fallen again, this time for eternity, and the Smurfs have yet to enter into my quarters. Perhaps they…" he never got to finish, because the door behind him exploded inward, covering its occupants in smoke. "You were saying?" Lady Light taunted. Minotaur turned to the Smurfs as they stood in the door way, Smurfette bravely standing at the head of them. "Very well, then." he said and lifted his ax to his face, "If we must fight, then I will fight you girl, but know this, I will not show you mercy."

"There's no surprise there," Smurfette said with almost no emotion what so ever, "you haven't yet, why should your end be any different?" This caused the Minotaur to belt out laughing, "You really believe that you can defeat me?" he asked, "Let's see you try." he challenged, and bent his bull like legs into a battle stance. Smurfette moved so that she was across the room instead of in front of her friends before she to knelt down into a battle stance. Silence fell as the two combatants measured each other up and down, guessing at the other's skill, and like a flash they launched at each other. Metal clashed against metal as they struck, Smurfette's speed matching the Minotaur's power, each giving nothing to their opponent. Smurfette bounced off of the walls, using her powerful legs as springs to launch her towards the Minotaur at breakneck speeds and clashing with his ax. The Minotaur in turn used his massive ax to block her strike and swing her towards another wall before the process was repeated. "Amazing!" Brainy said with a gasp, "It's like they're testing each other, neither actually showing their true power before the other does."

"Huh? Why would they do that?" Clumsy asked. "Simple," Handy said, "they don't want the other to know what they can really do, like in cards." Suddenly the Minotaur did something different, he swatted Smurfette at the far wall and brought his ax high above his head, bringing it down on her hard. "Smurfette, watch out!" Hefty shouted. Quickly Smurfette brought her two swords above her head, blocking the blade of the ax as it came down upon her pushing her towards the ground. "Smurfette's in trouble!" Clumsy shouted, and watched as she pushed with all of her might, falling away from the ax, and striking the floor hard. The impact she had with the floor, caused her to release the two swords she had in her hands and sending them across the floor away from her. Stunned and dazed, Smurfette lay on the floor, trying to get her limbs to move. When she heard the Minotaur laugh out loud, she lifted her chin to look at what he was doing. "I'VE WON!" he shouted as he used his free hand to pick up the two swords of light. Placing his ax on one of the tables in the room he opened his hand and awkwardly looked at the two mini swords. Holding them up between both his first fingers and thumbs, he lifted his eyebrow at their size and turned to the Lady's prison. A sickening grin formed itself as he put them both into one fist, and opened the door of the cage. "I told you, my destiny was to rule!" he whispered and plunged the two swords at where he knew her heart would be. "NO!" all of the Smurfs shouted, and stood frozen, all waiting for the scream of pain. Instead, nothing.

The light quickly expanded, knocking the Minotaur to the ground without the swords. "You miserable cretin, I told you that you would be defeated." she said as she floated out of the case. "I don't understand." he said as he watched her inch closer to him. "You cannot use your powers to harm me, only the guardian may defeat me, yet he's dead. Dead at the bottom of the mountain." he shouted as he stood back up and grabbed his ax. The two swords shot out from the light, and struck the ground in front of Smurfette. "I never said that the human was my guardian." she said and began to shrink.

The light shrank quickly, floating to the ground until all that was left was a Smurfette with hair that seemed to be purely made of a gentle spring day's sunlight, constantly flowing behind her head in smooth gentle waves. The dress she wore was simple yet elegant and made of a fine silvery blue silk that looked as if it were woven from the full moon's light. It reached passed her feet, almost making her look like a specter, if it weren't for the gentle smile she had on her face. The sleeve ends were wide and light, flowing in an invisible wind. Her face was of perfect beauty and her skin farer even then Smurfette's, but her eyes were the same shade of blue. Unlike the other Smurfs, she wore no hat at all.

"WHAT?" the Minotaur shouted in disbelief. "You're a…" Smurfette started, and was answered by a nod from Lady Light herself. "So that means that…" she again began, "That's right, you are my chosen guardian Smurfette, Sam was the messenger, the one to bring you the swords, however, I never meant for him to be put in harm's way, I am truly sorry." she said. "But…" Smurfette tried to argue but was once again cut off when Lady Light said "Shhh!" and placed a finger to Smurfette's lips. Slowly Lady Light moved her hand to the top of the Smurfette's hat. Smurfette could feel her injuries fade and her strength return, calming her instantly. "Peace, my sister Smurf, let your worries leave you like leaves in the creek, passing under the bridge."

"How can this be?" Minotaur asked, "You were already once a…" he shouted, and stopped, realizing what he was about to say. Standing up, Lady Light turned to the Minotaur, "That's right Minotaur, I was already once a Smurf at the beginning. You were already too late, for I am immortal." she said and vanished from sight, leaving a whispering message in Smurfette's ears, "Stop him, he means to cloak the world in his shadow." Smurfette nodded, and stood up, before pulling the swords from the ground. Shock set in as the Minotaur stood there letting what he just learned sink in. "I was…too late." he whispered to himself, and began laughing hysterically. "I was too LATE!" he shouted and continued laughing. Stopping in his laughter, he looked to his ax, "So I wasn't destined to be ruler of light." he reasoned, "Fine, I'll just settle for the Destroyer of Light." he said, and took a mighty downward swing at Smurfette, slamming the edge of the ax into her crossed swords. "I WILL ANNIHILATE YOU AND ALL YOU STAND FOR, I WILL BECOME THE GREAT DESTROYER, AND BRING THIS WORLD TO IT'S KNEES!" he shouted and pressed harder, bringing Smurfette to her knees. "I'LL DESTROY YOU ALL!" he shouted again, and Smurfette looked up, concentrating on her Nijiha, her love, her human, Sam. The Blue light shined forth but was completely engulfed in shadows within seconds. "What?" Papa Smurf shouted as he saw this. "That can't be smurfy!" Brainy said. She tried again, using the same light with the same results, then again with each of the different lights of the Nijiha.

"Every time she uses her Nijiha, he douses the light with his shadows." Papa said in shock, "We have to get her out of there!"

"How?" Handy asked in fear, "Look!" Pointing to the ground, everyone saw the Minotaur's shadow as it grew, reaching out for them. "Let me protect you, in return for your bravery." they heard a gently voice say, and suddenly a barrier of light formed itself around them, covering them and keeping them safe from the creeping shadow. The crowd of Smurfs parted, letting Papa Smurf get a good look at Lady Light herself. "Hello Papa Smurf! That is your name now, isn't it?" she asked. Papa glanced at her, curiously, "Do I know you?" he asked. She simply nodded and pointed to Smurfette. When everyone turned their heads, she began her tail, "Once I was like her, in love with a great Smurf. But unlike her, I was too shy to approach him and share my feelings. Instead I waited, waited for him to come to me. You never did Papa Smurf." she said. Papa turned his head back to her, and watched as a single tear fell from her right eye. "Me?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Smurfette pushed back, using every Nijiha she knew, only to have them snuffed out completely by the shadows of the Minotaur's Ax. She forcefully moved the blade to the side, causing it to burry itself into the ground, giving her time to jump backwards and put some distance between her and the Minotaur. 'This is nuts.' she thought to herself breathing heavily from the strain, 'How can he smurf my Nijiha like that, it just doesn't make any sense.' After finishing that thought, she jumped, avoiding the side swing of the Minotaur's ax completely. 'If only I knew the final attack! He wouldn't be able to see it coming.'

"My loneliness was my price, Papa Smurf. I do not blame you for it at all." Lady Light said to him, "When I was young, I had no knowledge of my true power. It wasn't until the others were lost that I awoke to them. You survived because I saved you, but at the price of eternal loneliness. I'm happy you could find a new family, I just wish I could have been there to help you Papa Smurf." Lady Light told him. "But, I don't remember a thing about that day!" Papa admitted. "Because my powers caused you to forget the bad, the shadows, and the evil, brining you only the good, and all that would cast a light on your path. Even I don't remember much about what happened. I have been lonely, so lonely." she said solemnly. "Papa, I hate to disturb this reunion but Smurfette isn't doing so well." Handy said and pointed to the fight.

Smurfette was jumping around, dodging the blade as the Minotaur slammed it into the ground, and smashed tables and chairs. "The Lights alone are week, but together they are stronger than any shadow." Lady Light said, closing her eyes and clasping her hands together. "The lights?" Brainy asked and began thinking about it. "Like the colors are all pretty by themselves, but all at once are even prettier." Clumsy said cluelessly. "Exactly." she said to them, "Only the Mikazuki Nijiha will be strong enough to stop him." Brainy quickly searched his own memories, "Crescent Rainbow Wave!" he translated in shock.

"What do I do?" Smurfette asked as she dodged yet another strike. The Minotaur had increased in speed, leaving her no opportunity to counter attack or rest. Thinking quickly, Smurfette dashed towards the prison, and entered into the area. In his insanity, the Minotaur charged right in, and in the blink of an eye, she rolled away, and slammed the cage door on him. "That won't hold him long." she said as she watched him smile from behind the glass. "I wish I knew what to do." she said. "Peace my sister Smurf." called Lady Light, "Only peace can bring you victory." Looking at her, Smurfette wondered only for a little while, it finally set in.

Remembering her previous words Smurfette, closed her eyes like so many times before, and imagined herself on the village bridge, watching the leaves fall from the surrounding trees. Every once in a while one of the leaves would fall in front of her, trying to distract her from the view. At first she would oblige the leaf and watch it fall into the river, but she quickly went back to the view. More leaves came into view by the bunch, making it nearly impossible to see what she was looking at, and completely impossible to ignore. "Maybe you just need a different distraction." she heard from behind her, the voice so delightfully familiar and attached to so many memories. She knew who it was, who else would she dream of? Sam stood behind her, smiling gently, his focused blue eyes staring her down, daring her to come to him. Without a word, Smurfette pressed her face into his armored chest, and wrapped her arms around him with him returning the gesture. "I miss you Sam." she sobbed as she wished it was real. "I miss you as well." he said, and lifted her chin with his left hand, gently making her face him. Sam leaned in as she lifted to her toes, touching their lips together in bliss. Smurfette let the worries of her life float away, no longer distracted by the leaves that fell in front of her.

Back in reality, the Minotaur covered himself in the shadows of his Ax and allowed it to melt to the ground, before seeping out of the glass chamber and reforming him in front of the Smurfette, his target. Lifting his Ax high into the air, he smiled, a sick triumphant smile, but when he brought his blade down, she lifted her Katana alone, pulsing with all the colors of the rainbow. Unnoticed, his ax cracked even more. "What?' he whispered to himself as he gazed upon the spectacle. Her hair fluttered up, as if being tossed by a gentle wind coming from her feet, the light that surrounded her shined like an aurora, flowing with every color of the rainbow. Never once did she open her eyes as she stood there, still as a statue. Slowly, and quietly, she opened her eyes full of realization, fear, love, pain, regret, and forgiveness. All at once, it disappeared, leaving just peace, calm tranquility. "I forgive you." she whispered. "Huh?" the Minotaur asked in confusion. "I forgive you, for all the horrible things you did. I don't know why you did them, but I forgive you." she told him. "Forgive me?!" he asked, and quickly went into a furious rage, "You should be the one **asking** for **my** forgiveness." he shouted, and pressed harder against her, only to have her push him side literally, using simply her katana. "I also pity you." she said, "You prize power over true happiness."

"True Happiness?" he asked, "What rubbish! If things make you happy for only a short time, then having everything would make you happy for a life time." he said. "And yet all you have are things, while I have my family." she told him as she turned to the other Smurfs. The Minotaur simply roared and lifted his ax high in the air, with one quick swipe of her sword, Smurfette launched a rainbow colored wave in the shape of a crescent moon and about the size of the Minotaur's hand, into the blade of the ax, shattering it completely, and causing it to disperse into a black cloud, before shaping itself into the shape of an Ax. Smurfette, launched a second, much bigger wave at the cloud, striking it dead center. The ear piercing screech that could be heard from the cloud, echoed throughout the halls of the mountain, forcing all the Smurfs and the Minotaur to cover their ears in pain. Almost as quickly as it came, it disappeared, and the cloud turned white and puffy before dispersing itself.

**End of Chapter**


	33. All's Well That Smurf's Well

**All's Well That Smurf's Well**

"My ax!" the Minotaur said in shock. "You have been defeated Minotaur. Just as the prophecies predicted, my guardian has stopped you and your darkness." lady Light said. "But, my destiny!" he said as he fell to his knees, "I was to live forever!"

"You wish to live forever?" Lady Light asked as she approached him, "Then you will live forever as you protect the Labyrinth from those that would wonder in." At those words, the minotaur stood in fear and shock, "NO, not that maddening place again, I'll do anything." he said in panic, only to turn around and run straight into the stone door leading to the one place he never wanted to return, the Labyrinth, a mystical maze that changes every time you turn around or blink, the backwards and upside down stairs made the place nearly impossible to navigate. The massive door was the size of maybe three Minotaurs, and wide enough to have an elephant accompany him. The ornate design of a circular maze was etched into the door, having a simple sun in the middle. "Why is it so different now?" he asked as he backed away from it. "The Labyrinth is a maze that tells a story, this Labyrinth will tell the story of the lives of the people that enter in, your life will now be dedicated to interpreting those stories and making your decision whether to attack or lead out." Lady Light said to him. Turning to her, he said in a panic, "But there was only one way out." he said, "The center of the maze, and the ax was at the center." he said in his panic. "Then I suggest you warn the others." she said to him, and waved her hand. Behind the Minotaur the door slid open, "Now wander forever in your prison of madness." she said, and the ground shook and trembled under his feet, sending him toppling backwards, into the door, before it sealed shut on him, locking him away forever.

Lady Light reappeared in her chambers a moment later, standing in front of the group of Smurfs. "It is done, the Minotaur will no longer threaten the world, or its light." she told them, and floated back up to Smurfette, "For your courage and bravery, my guardian, I grant you one wish." she said. "Bring Sam back, make him live again." she said, hope filling her eyes. "I'm sorry," Lady Light said as she bowed her head in shame, "That I cannot do. For it is beyond even my power." Smurfette looked at her in shock, hope falling to the pits of despair as she stood there still as a statue. "But, you promised!" she whispered. "I told you if it was in my power Smurfette, however it is not, and for that I am truly sorry." Lady Light told her solemnly. Smurfette was about to rush forward and strangle her, but held back at the last minute, forcing herself to remain calm, and accept what she was hearing. "I understand." she said softly, and removed the two swords from her side. "You should keep these, they'll just remind me of him every time I look at them." she said and handed the swords to Lady Light. "That I will, I promise they will be used to defend the innocent by someone who can wield them properly." For a second, Smurfette felt like keeping them, but quickly let them go and turned to run in tears. The other Smurfs followed at their own pace, letting her have the space she needed, until only Papa and Blacksmith were left. "If I could take but a moment of your time?" she said, getting their attention. Swords now somewhere else, she gently grabbed Blacksmith's right hand, and placed something into it, "Use them wisely." she whispered into his ear and turned to Papa as Blacksmith walked away with a confused and unsure look on his face. The two looked at each other eyes to eyes, until realization came to him, "It's you!" he whispered, and she smiled gently, placing something into his hand. "Remember me, from time to time. Perhaps we may meet again." she said and gently kissed him on the lips, surprising him before he was enveloped in light. "Remember me!" she whispered one last time.

Papa had no idea why, but he was now on the road with the other Smurfs, his fist clenched tightly as he held onto something. "…so I said to her 'It's ok, you still have us' and she just started to cry harder." he heard Brainy saying. Papa turned his head to look at the bespectacled Smurf, only to find him talking with Clumsy, who was riding in one of the wagons instead of walking. "Yah," Clumsy agreed sadly, "do you think she'll ever smurf over it?"

"Oh I'm sure she will." Papa piped in, smiling from ear to ear. Brainy and Clumsy glanced at him, not in surprise but in curiosity, it seemed like he was hiding something. "What's in your hand Papa?" Brainy asked. When Papa opened his hand, he found a glowing stick of something, like a soft powdery stone. "I'm not really sure? Something Lady Light smurfed me before we left." he said as he looked at it. "Funny, Blacksmith got two pearls for two of his swords." Clumsy said in a small happiness. "Clumsy, Papa already knows that remember? Blacksmith wouldn't stop bragging about it." Brainy said as a matter of fact, to which Clumsy laughed a little, "Oh, yah!"

Back at the tower of Light, Lady Light set about floating around the room, dusting and cleaning, repairing the walls and watching as things fixed themselves in her chamber. From outside, she heard a grunt, as if someone was lifting themselves up from a struggling climb. A hand no bigger than that of a Smurf's reached one of her window sills, and heaved up a half naked human body, with torn pants. The moment he pulled himself to the sill, he collapsed in exhaustion, breathing heavily and basking in the sun's glow. "You could have just asked for my help you know." she said teasingly. Sam looked up to get a better look at her. "Should have known you were a Smurf." he breathed. "I still have a wish to grant you know, I could return you to your real size." Lady Light offered. Slowing his breath, Sam sat up and looked at her, with laughter in his eyes, "I have a better idea!" he said with a smile.

In the Smurf Village, the Smurfs had returned, and in the midst of setting up their own hero's party. They set around the place, decorating and building, all the while singing their happy little song. "La la lala la la, Sing a happy song, La la lala la la, Smurf your whole day long." Whistles and humming kept to the beat, always with cheer, "Smurf along with me," it seemed as each Smurf was back to what they used to be, happy and joyful, "Simple as can be!" they all sang. Not all of the Smurfs were in that mood however, Smurfette, who was usually running around helping happily, just sat there her chin in her hands and tears in her eyes, "Next time you're feeling blue, just let a smile begin," she slowly and sadly sang, "Happy things will come to you…" again she let a tear fall to the ground at her feet. Silently, a Smurf's mouth crept close to hers, and whispered, "So smurf yourself a grin!" in a very familiar voice. Surprise took hold of Smurfette, and instantly she jumped out of her seat to turn around and look at who it might be, at first she was disappointed to see a Smurf, but when she looked into his eyes, she found the familiar deep blue focused eyes Sam always had, "SAM?!" she called out. Her exclamation was so loud, everyone heard it, turning to see what she was screaming about, they saw a Smurf, wearing a very shinny blue samurai armor and white pants like a Smurf, his hat would have been the same if it weren't for the Samurai crest attached to the front near the brim. At his side, they saw the two swords of light, nestled securely to the thin black belt around his waist.

"Sorry I took so long Smurfette, I was a full day behind you when Lady Light granted my wish to be a Smurf." he explained. Smurfette looked deeper into his eyes, finding everything she needed to confirm that it was really him, "Sam!" she cried again and wrapped her arms around him tightly, planting a kiss on his lips. Breaking reluctantly, he chuckled, "I'm Samurai Smurf now!"

"I don't care, you're still **my** Sam!" she said and planted another kiss on his lips. 'I can't wait to start my life here.' he thought to himself as he enjoyed her longing and love. They only broke apart when they heard Blacksmith shout, "OH YAH!" at the top of his lungs. Turning to the rest of the crowd, Sam placed his hand into hers, and for the first time, their fingers intertwined perfectly. "I'll never leave you like that again!" he promised in a whisper, and drew his sword, shining with the same rainbow light she once produced. Suddenly the singing started up again, "La la lala la la, Now you know the tune. La la lala la la, You'll be Smurfing soon!" With every other beat, he flipped his sword in the air, creating a burst of different colors in the air that looked quite similar to fireworks. The music continued as they cheered, each Smurf celebrating in their own way, "La La Lala La La, You'll Be Smurfing Soon!" they sang slowly, drawing out the celebration, Sam looked to Smurfette, happiness and caring bright and clear on his face, and on the final beat of the song, slid his sword back into its sheath.

**The End**


End file.
